theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help prevent the export of stolen mobile phones by organised criminals. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee we will place thousands of additional police officers and police community support officers in neighbourhood policing roles to provide a more visible and effective service to the public, with each neighbourhood having a named, contactable officer dealing with local issues, including the theft of mobile phones, handbags and other personal items.

To tackle mobile phone theft specifically, on 6 February the Home Secretary brought together police, the National Crime Agency, the Mayor of London, leading tech companies and others to drive greater collaboration in breaking the business model of mobile phone thieves. The Summit resulted in clear commitments from attendees to work in partnership, including to significantly boost the sharing of data and intelligence on mobile phone theft to build a comprehensive picture of the problem, better understand the role of organised crime networks and identify the most effective means of tackling these crimes. As part of ongoing work on this, the Policing Minister recently met with the National Crime Agency and Border Force to consider how best they may be able to contribute to efforts to tackle this criminality.

In addition, the Crime and Policing Bill includes a measure to give police the power to enter and search premises for stolen property that has been electronically geo-location tracked to those premises, where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant without seriously prejudicing the entry and search purpose.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Channel crossings by irregular migrants have taken place since 1 January 2025. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Home Office publishes the number of Channel crossings on a daily basis. Since 1 April, the UK Border Force has continued to work with their French counterparts and other partners around the world to take action against the organised immigration crime groups responsible for the cross-Channel trade, disrupting their supply chains and dismantling their networks.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to improve support for male victims of crime categorised as violence against women and girls. \p Jess Phillips: The definition of VAWG (Violence against Women and Girls) encompasses crimes which disproportionately, but not exclusively, affect women and girls. We recognise that men and boys experience abusive and violent crimes, such as stalking, domestic abuse, and sexual abuse and we are committed to ensuring that male victims and survivors also get the support that they need.

The Home Office have invested in services, such as Respect, Galop, SignHealth, and Hourglass, which provide essential support to male victims. We will publish a new VAWG strategy this year to better support all victims of these appalling crimes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what items of equipment currently issued to police officers in are manufactured in China. \p Dame Diana Johnson: At present, the procurement of equipment for individual police forces is a matter for their chief constables.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the maximum (a) population size and (b) geographical area is that each neighbourhood police officer acting as the named point of contact will be required to cover. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Government is committed to strong neighbourhood policing for everyone in England and Wales, no matter where they live. As the Prime Minister announced on 10 April, by July, every community will have named and contactable officers dedicated to addressing the issues facing their communities as part of the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

We are working with forces to guarantee neighbourhood areas are of a size that are recognisable to local communities, such as council wards.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Ms Stella Creasy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answers of (a) 22 July 2024 to Question 66 and (b) 7 January 2025 to Question 20961 on Sexual Harassment, what progress she has made on implementation of the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023. \p Jess Phillips: Tackling violence against women and girls is a top priority for this Government and a central part of our Safer Streets mission. Our unprecedented ambition is to halve the prevalence of VAWG within a decade, using every lever available to us.

Public sexual harassment is a crime that often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women, feeling unsafe on their own streets. That is unacceptable. Tackling public sexual harassment will form an important part of our cross-government VAWG strategy, which will be published before summer recess. We will confirm next steps on implementation of the Act at the earliest opportunity.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what neighbourhood policing grant allocations can be spent on. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The approach to delivery in 2025/26, which will be year 1 of a 4-year programme, is designed to deliver an initial increase to the neighbourhood policing workforce in a manner that is flexible, and can be adapted to the local context and varied crime demands.

In year one of the programme to ensure that funding effectively contributes to neighbourhood policing aims and is limited to expenditure that is critical for the programme, funding must be used for personnel in roles that fulfil neighbourhood policing functions (defined by CIPFA Category 1A), items that directly support them in their neighbourhood roles and Special Constables.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an estimate of the (a) number and (b) proportion of Disclosure and Barring Service certificates provided to employers which are (i) fake and (ii) falsified. \p Jess Phillips: The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is operationally independent from the Home Office and neither Home Office or DBS holds estimates on either the number or proportion of DBS certificates which are fake or falsified.

However, the DBS does publish guidance to employers on how to check that a DBS certificate is genuine and what to do if they have concerns: DBS checks: guidance for employers - GOV.UK.

DBS certificates include numerous security features which can be used to verify whether it has been counterfeited or altered. These include the certificate being produced on a uniquely sized paper stock, the presence of a crown seal watermark, and a complex design using specific inks. Employers should contact DBS directly if they have concerns about the authenticity of a DBS certificate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) phones, (b) laptops and (c) other electronic devices have been lost by their Department since 5 July 2024. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Since 5 July 2024 there have been 140 phones, 155 laptops and 186 other electronic devices recorded as lost.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help increase the charge rate for vehicle thefts in London. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Vehicle theft is a truly distressing crime and this Government recognises the negative impact vehicle thefts have had on individuals, businesses and industry.

In our Crime and Policing Bill, we have brought forward two new offences to criminalise the possession, importation, making, adapting, supplying or offering to supply an electronic device (such as a signal jammer) for use in theft of a vehicle or theft of anything in a vehicle.

We are committed to restoring and strengthening neighbourhood policing. Through our Safer Streets Mission, our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will deliver thousands of neighbourhood police and community support officers, across England and Wales, to speed up response times and build public confidence.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the press release entitled Government calls ‘last orders’ on red tape choking pubs, clubs, and restaurants in major boost to the British night out, published on 4 April 2025, whether she plans to amend her Department's guidance entitled Revised guidance issued under section 182 of Licensing Act 2003, updated on 27 February 2025. \p Dame Diana Johnson: On 4 April the Government established a Taskforce to consider how the licensing regime may be strengthened to help facilitate a business environment that supports the Government’s growth mission whilst continuing to deliver the current licensing objectives relating to public safety, crime and disorder.

The Taskforce met for the first time on 9 April and the Government will consider its recommendations
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of car theft were reported to the Metropolitan Police in the London Borough of Havering in the last six months. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of notifiable offences, including the number of theft of motor vehicles, recorded by the police in England and Wales. This information is published as official statistics each quarter at both the Police Force Area and Community Safety Partnership level, including Havering Crime Safety Partnership area. The latest information, to the year ending September 2024, can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tables

Information for the year to December 2024 is due to be published on 24th April 2025.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the revised neighbourhood policing figures for 29 police forces in England and Wales, published on 19 March 2025 on the neighbourhood policing grant allocations published on 9 April 2025. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Grant funding allocations for neighbourhood policing in 2025/26 were calculated using the Police Funding Formula.

As allocations were made based on the Police Funding Formula, the revised neighbourhood policing figures have no bearing on the grant allocations.
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Shaun Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who the longest serving police community support officer is in each police force; and what steps her Department is taking to recognise long service of police community support officers. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Office does not publish information on the length of service of PCSOs.

The Home Office will consider any proposal for national long service recognition for Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

It is only right that we recognise the commitment shown by PCSOs across the country and whose roles are undeniably at the sharp end of policing, diffusing community tensions and providing visible policing presence in our communities.
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Shaun Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many warranted police officers are in West Mercia Police for each year that data is available. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Office collects and publishes data on the size of the police workforce in England and Wales on a bi-annual basis in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.

The latest information at the link above covers the situation as at 30 September 2024. Information on the number of police officers, broken down by police force area, at the end of each financial year (31 March) from 2007 to 2024 can be found in the ‘Police Workforce Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/678faaf93087686d77328ade/open-data-table-police-workforce-220125.ods

Data on the police workforce as at 31 March 2025 is due to be published in Summer 2025.
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Jonathan Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support local police forces in preventing motorhome theft. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Vehicle theft, including that of motorhomes, is a truly distressing crime for owners, businesses and industry.

This Government is determined to drive down vehicle crime and we are closely working with the automotive industry and police to ensure our response is as strong as it can be.

We are working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime, through a National Vehicle Crime Working Group, to take forward a programme of work to drive down vehicle crime, focusing on prevention and deterrence. This includes training police on the methods used to steal vehicles, encouraging vehicle owners to secure their vehicles, and working with industry to address vulnerabilities in vehicles.

Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced measures to ban electronic devices used to steal vehicles, empowering the police and courts to target the criminals using, manufacturing and supplying them. The Bill also introduces a new power for the police to enter and search premises to which items have been electronically geolocation tracked, and it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant from a court.

The Home Office holds data on the number of offences recorded by the police in England and Wales, including thefts of motor vehicles. However, statistics do not provide the level of detail necessary to separately identify thefts of motorhomes.
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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2025 to Question 902429 on Orgreave, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on an investigation or inquiry into the events at Orgreave. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Secretary and the Minister of State for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention have been meeting with a number of stakeholders to discuss the manifesto commitment for an investigation or inquiry into the events at Orgreave.

Next steps will be announced in due course.
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Chris Hinchliff:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the benefits of creating a long service award to recognise PCSOs with 20 years of service. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Office will consider any proposal for national long service recognition for Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

It is only right that we recognise the commitment shown by PCSOs across the country and whose role are undeniably at the sharp end of policing, diffusing community tensions and providing visible policing presence in our communities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria has been used to calculate the number of police officers required to provide a named officer in every town. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Government is committed to providing strong neighbourhood policing to everyone in England and Wales, no matter where they live.

As the Prime Minister announced on 10 April, by July, every community will have named and contactable officers dedicated to addressing the issues facing their communities as part of the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. We have worked closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other sector leaders to develop this Guarantee and ensure that it is deliverable.

As of March 2024, there were 17,023 neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs. The Guarantee will provide 13,000 additional neighbourhood police by 2029.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) police officers, (b) Police Community Support Officers, (c) special constables and (d) staff Cambridgeshire Constabulary were budgeted to recruit in each of the last five financial years. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the number of police officers joining the police service in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.

Information on the number of police officers joining Cambridgeshire Constabulary between the years ending 31 March 2007 to 2024 can be found in the ‘Joiners Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/678fab54c88969ba1bc2ad6d/open-data-table-police-workforce-joiners-220125.ods.

Information for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 is due to be published in Summer 2025.

The Home Office does not currently collect information on the number of police officers, Police Community Support Officers, special constables or police staff a police force was budgeted to recruit.
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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds on the cumulative number of years of experience of police officers by force. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the length of service of police officers in post, as at 31 March each year, in the ‘Police workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.

This data has been published since 2016 and can be found in the open data table ‘Police workforce, England and Wales, 31 March 2024: length of service open data tables’, available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/669a920ba3c2a28abb50d34d/open-data-table-police-workforce-length-of-service-240724.ods. This breaks down officers’ length of service into grouped categories.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the projected number of police officers recruited is in each of the next four years. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The 2025-26 police funding settlement provides funding of up to £19.6 billion for the policing system in England and Wales. Total funding to police forces will be up to £17.6 billion, an increase of up to £1.2 billion compared to the 2024-25 police funding settlement.

This includes up to £376.8 million, allocated to directly support the maintenance of police officers across England and Wales in 2025-26, as well as £200 million to kickstart the first phase of delivering 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles.
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Sarah Edwards:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support Staffordshire Police to reduce rates of freight crime. \p Dame Diana Johnson: This Government understands the significant and damaging impact freight crime has on businesses and drivers and we are carefully monitoring the increases in its frequency. The experience of cargo theft, where criminals are ripping the sides of lorries and taking the goods inside, is a highly alarming one for dedicated HGV drivers to go through, and the Government is committed to tackling this crime, and protecting those drivers.

We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders towards those ends, and I recently met with Rachel Taylor MP, and Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads at the Department for Transport (DfT), specifically to discuss freight crime. The DfT also hosts the Freight Council, which regularly discusses crime against freight companies, and which is attended by Home Office officials to engage with the sector on this issue.

We also recognise the strong links between freight crime and serious, organised crime, which is a major threat to our country’s national security and prosperity and is estimated to cost the UK at least £47 billion annually. This Government is committed to tackling serious and organised crime in all its forms, and we are continuing to work closely with Opal, the police’s national intelligence unit focused on serious organised acquisitive crime, which has multiple thematic desks, including a vehicle crime intelligence desk which covers freight crime.

As well as wider offence data, the Home Office collects and publishes data on specific crimes affecting commercial business premises in England and Wales, including premises in the Transport, Accommodation and Food sector, as part of the Commercial Victimisation Survey (CVS). Neither data source currently provides the level of detail necessary to separately identify freight crimes, or the number of offences taking place in different regions.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The UK Civil Service only formally observes the government-set bank holidays.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff in her Department have job titles that include the words (a) equality, (b) diversity, (c) inclusion, (d) gender, (e) LGBT and (f) race. \p Dame Diana Johnson: I refer the Honourable Member to the answer he was given by my predecessor on 4 March 2024 in response to the same question (PQ UIN 15470).
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 42254 on Licensing Laws, whether licensed premises must apply for variations to their licence to continue to serve alcohol within the curtilage of a pavement licence area. \p Dame Diana Johnson: I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made to the House on 27 February.
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Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to data table 7.2 of her Department's statistics entitled Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain 2023: data tables, published on 11 September 2024, what legislation on medicinal products for human use required the use of dogs in regulatory procedures. \p Dan Jarvis: We are working with regulators to see how advances in technology can and will reduce use and phase out use in some areas.

The explicit requirement for using animals in toxicology tests comes from section 50 (5) to the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (as amended 2019 and 2020). Therefore, in most cases, new drugs are required to be tested in two animal species for public safety and efficacy purposes. There are rare exceptions where the medicine has no pharmacological effect in any species other than humans where this may not be applied.

Although much research can be done without using animals, there are still purposes where use of live animals is essential, as the complexity of whole biological systems cannot be reliably replicated using validated alternative methodologies. Animal testing is therefore required by all global medicines regulators, including the UK’s Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). We are working with regulators to see how advances in technology can and will reduce use and phase out use in some areas.
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David Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of cybercrime from North Korea on the UK. \p Dan Jarvis: The UK is one of the most digital, connected and online countries in the world. This increases our exposure to a range of cyber threats including from states, ransomware gangs, and cyber criminals. Cyber crime causes immense damage to people and businesses across the world and is a top priority for the Government.

The UK is concerned around the threat DPRK poses through cyber activity, not only to cybersecurity, but to economic security and national security. The UK works closely with our allies to deter all malign actors from conducting malicious cyber activity. This includes through targeted sanctions, public attributions and working closely with partners to encourage capacity building and cyber deterrence.

We have been clear that we will not tolerate malicious cyber activity. The DPRK has repeatedly acted in violation of internationally agreed cyber norms. The NCSC continues to work with partners to understand and address the risk to the UK.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the letter from Lord Sharpe to the Chair of the Animals in Science Committee, published on 1 March 2024, whether the Home Office will issue a policy advice note to (a) discourage and (b) prohibit the use of the Forced Swim Test. \p Dan Jarvis: The letter from Lord Sharpe was issued under the previous Government. I can however, issue an update. The Home Office Regulator has reviewed all licences authorising the use of the Forced Swim Test (FST) under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The Regulator has subsequently liaised with licence holders where necessary to implement the recommendations of the Animals in Science Committee.

The number of project licences that authorises the FST in Great Britain has decreased from nine on the 1 March 2024, to a current total of only four licences. All of these licences are due to expire by 2028.

The Home Office Regulator will, through audit and regulatory processes, assure that relevant establishments apply robust scientific justification, ethical oversight and the 3Rs fully and consistently across all applicable licences.

This Government has set a manifesto commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing” and will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods to animal testing later this year. This strategy supports the current scientific direction on reducing use of the FST (www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273230021001434).
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Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to data table 7.3 in the Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain 2023: data tables, published on 11 September 2024, what the legislation satisfying EU requirements was that required the 2581 procedures carried out on dogs. \p Dan Jarvis: With reference to the Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals in Great Britain 2023, Table 7.3, the legislative requirements for the 2581 procedures carried out on dogs which satisfy EU requirements were: 2263 procedures that satisfied medicinal products for human use legislation; 205 procedures to satisfy plant protection product legislation; 111 procedures to satisfy medicinal products and veterinary use and their residues legislation; and, 2 procedures to satisfy industrial chemicals legislation
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the terms were of the US proposal to enable a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine presented to European leaders at the Paris meeting on 17 April 2025. \p Stephen Doughty: We do not share the details of diplomatic discussions. To do so would only benefit Putin. We continue to work closely with the US, Ukraine, and European partners to achieve the shared goal of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
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Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the ODA budget on the level of support provided by the Government for the (a) investigation and (b) prosecution of (i) war crimes and (ii) other serious international crimes in Ukraine. \p Stephen Doughty: The impact of Official Development Assistance cuts on specific programmes is being worked through following the decision but the Prime Minister has reassured that Ukraine will remain a priority. The UK is committed to ensuring Russia is held to account for its actions.
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Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to seize Russian oligarchs’ UK homes to house Ukrainian refugees. \p Stephen Doughty: Since the launch of the UK's Ukraine schemes, 219,400 Ukrainians have arrived in the UK as of December 2024, in part thanks to the immense generosity of the British public.

Designated individuals and entities do not forfeit ownership of assets frozen in the UK. However, the UK has legislation in place allowing us to keep sanctions in place.

Russia's obligations are clear: it must end its illegal war of aggression and pay for the damage it has caused Ukraine. We continue to work with our allies to pursue all lawful ways to ensure that Russia does so.

The UK has now disbursed over half of the UK's £2.26 billion contribution to the G7's Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration scheme. That contribution will be repaid by the profits generated on sanctioned Russian sovereign assets.
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UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_668

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the level of cryptocurrency theft by North Korea; what steps he is taking to (a) trace the assets and (b) prevent further illicit transactions; and whether he has considered (i) the imposition of sanctions on (A) cryptocurrency and (B) related entities linked to North Korea and (ii) other steps to help strengthen security regulatory protocols. \p Catherine West: The UK has been consistent in challenging malicious cyber activity carried out by North Korean groups. This has included exposing and sanctioning North Korean actors for disruptive attacks that impacted the National Health Service. The National Cyber Security Centre has also issued multiple Cyber Security Advisories specifically on threats from North Korean groups, informing the UK technical audience on the way these groups operate and ways to defend against them.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_669
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_669

Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the progress made on the introduction of a publicly accessible register on beneficial ownership of businesses registered in their jurisdiction by each British Overseas Territory. \p Stephen Doughty: At the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in November 2024, the Falkland Islands and Saint Helena committed to implement fully public registers by April 2025. The British Virgin Islands (BVI), Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Anguilla and Turks and Caicos Islands agreed to implement registers of beneficial ownership, accessible to those with a legitimate interest, by June 2025. It remains our expectation that the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies will ultimately implement fully public registers as those that are already in place in Gibraltar and Montserrat.

I discussed progress on beneficial ownership transparency with Premier Wheatley (BVI) last month. A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) senior official visited BVI earlier this month and met with government and the finance industry. Every Territory is making progress towards the JMC commitments and FCDO officials are in regular contact with counterparts in the Overseas Territories on their proposals for registers to ensure they meet the agreement made at the JMC. I have and will continue to raise this directly with elected leaders across the Overseas Territories.

The Government is keeping this under close review and will carefully consider what further steps to take if the registers are not delivered as per JMC agreements.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_670
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_670

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help improve the provision of renewable energy on St Helena. \p Stephen Doughty: The St Helena Government is responsible for energy generation and has set out the ambition for generating 80 per cent of its local energy production from renewable energy sources by 2027/2028. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, through its £30 million Economic Development and Investment Programme, is supporting the St Helena Government to progress capital investment in a range of renewable sources.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_671
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_671

Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which representatives of the Mauritian government his Department has had discussions with on the proposed treaty since July 2024. \p Stephen Doughty: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the response given to her previous Parliamentary Question 36637, which remains the same.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_672
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_672

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure long term unrestricted British access to the entire Environment (Protection and Preservation) Zone of the British Indian Ocean Territory. \p Stephen Doughty: I refer the Hon. member to the responses given to his previous Parliamentary Questions 37768 and 37368, which remains the same.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_673
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_673

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help reduce the cost of fuel on St Helena. \p Stephen Doughty: The St Helena Government sets the wholesale fuel price and the island's fuel retailers set the commercial price. The St Helena Government has set out the ambition for generating 80 per cent of its local energy production from renewable energy sources by 2027/2028. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, through its £30 million Economic Development and Investment Programme, is supporting the St Helena Government to progress capital investment in a range of renewable sources.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_674
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_674

Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether research studies on the establishment of the British Indian Ocean Territory marine protected area for the period 2010 to 2024 will be published this year. \p Stephen Doughty: The British Indian Ocean Territory Administration currently has responsibility for the management and monitoring of its marine protected area, including the release of research studies sponsored by them.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_675
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_675

Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which legislation will require changes due to the proposed treaty with Mauritius; whether the Office of Parliamentary Counsel has drafted the necessary legislation; and when he plans to publish the relevant Bill. \p Stephen Doughty: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the response given to her previous Parliamentary Questions 39402, 39403 and 41824 on the details of the treaty.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_676
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_676

Bob Blackman:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the destruction of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum. \p Catherine West: The UK Government supports the Interim Government's agenda to restore law and order, ensure accountability and promote national reconciliation. While we have not had discussions with the Interim Government of Bangladesh regarding the destruction of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum specifically, we have encouraged all sides to work together to end the cycle of retributive violence. In February, Human Rights Ambassador Eleanor Sanders visited Bangladesh and met with the Interim Government and discussed a wide range of human rights concerns.  We continue to work with the Interim Government as it charts a peaceful transition to an inclusive and democratic future.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_677
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_677

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department. \p Catherine West: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) welcomes staff from all religions and beliefs and aims to ensure all staff are treated with dignity and respect. The FCDO's Faith Networks can nominate up to two religious holidays per religion (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism) to be observed each year. As a global workforce it is likely that British Embassies recognise additional religious and cultural holidays, which are celebrated in the country they reside in, as a mark of respect and to further understanding of the countries we operate in order to deliver better the outcomes for UK citizens.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_678
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_678

Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will support the request by over 500,000 Serbian petitioners to the UN for an international investigation into the use of sonic weaponry against protestors by the Serbian police. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK consistently advocates for the rights to freedom of expression and assembly, globally. During his recent visit to Serbia, the Foreign Secretary underlined to government interlocutors the importance of protecting and respecting these rights, and of maintaining high standards in policing peaceful demonstrations accordingly.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_679
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_679

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment has he made of the potential impact of Chinese activity in Antarctica on (a) the environment, (b) British interests and (c) international interests. \p Catherine West: The Antarctic Treaty, of which the UK and China are members, preserves Antarctica as a place of peace and science. While there is growing global interest in the economic potential of Antarctica, the Treaty ensures all parties adhere to high environmental standards. The UK has longstanding interests in Antarctica, and we will continue to maintain a permanent presence on the continent, allowing us to conduct world-leading science, preserve British heritage, and safeguard our sovereignty of the British Antarctic Territory.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_680
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_680

Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he expects the China audit to be (a) completed and (b) published. \p Catherine West: We are carrying out an audit of the UK's interests with China, so we can understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities China poses. This is a comprehensive exercise, which is important to get right. Whilst we have never committed to a specific date, the process will conclude in due course and we intend to share elements of the Audit publicly. Some parts will remain confidential, in order not to compromise UK interests.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_681
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_681

Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any Cabinet colleagues have asked his Department to delay the China audit. \p Catherine West: The China Audit is a comprehensive cross-government process. The timeline is driven by the need for sufficient consultation and analysis, across government and beyond, in order to inform Audit conclusions.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_682
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_682

Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Foreign Secretary launches expert reviews to strengthen UK’s global impact and expertise, published on 9 September 2024, when he plans to publish the findings of the three reviews. \p Catherine West: The reviews' reports take the form of unpublished independent advice to the Foreign Secretary. A decision on how best to communicate the independent reviews' findings will be taken in due course by the Foreign Secretary.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_683
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_683

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the feasibility of undersea mineral extraction from nodes in the territorial waters of the Falkland Islands. \p Stephen Doughty: The natural resources of the Falkland Islands belong to the Islanders, and as such any consideration of undersea mineral extraction is a matter for the Falkland Islands Government. The UK supports the right of the Falkland Islanders to develop their natural resources for their own economic benefit - this is an integral part of their right of self-determination.