theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Euan Stainbank:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of any open arms licences granted for export to Israel since the partial arms licence suspension. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We have continued to review export licences for items to Israel and assess that there are no extant licences for items that might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law. This is subject to the specific measures set out to Parliament excluding exports to the global F-35 programme from the scope of the suspension. There are a number of export licences which we have assessed are not for use by the Israeli Defense Forces in military operations in Gaza and therefore do not require suspension. These include military items such as components for trainer aircraft or components for air defence systems, and other, non-military, items such as food-testing chemicals, telecoms, and data equipment.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the reconstruction of (a) water networks and (b) other essential infrastructure in Lebanon. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK is committed to supporting Lebanon to meet the humanitarian needs of both refugees and vulnerable Lebanese communities. The UK has played a leading role in addressing the humanitarian situation in Lebanon, providing over £41 million in humanitarian funding since April last year. This includes support to provide clean water, emergency latrines and showers for people displaced by the conflict as well the delivery of food, shelter, health, education, and protection services.

We will continue to work in partnership with the Lebanese Government and international partners to support the stability, security and long-term prosperity of Lebanon and its people. This includes supporting Lebanon's new Government to prioritise enacting the necessary political and socio-economic reforms needed to facilitate the recovery, reconstruction, and state-building efforts.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in Pakistan on the recent arrests of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan’s Punjab Province. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Promoting the rights of religious minorities is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan. I raised the deteriorating situation for Ahmadi Muslims when I met Pakistan's Human Rights Minister on 19 November 2024 and discussed this issue in Parliament on 28 November 2024. Our High Commissioner in Pakistan raised the issue of Ahmadi rights in a meeting with Prime Minister Sharif on 3 March 2025. On 6 March 2025, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials visited the Ahmadiyya headquarters in Rabwah to discuss key issues impacting the community. The UK remains committed to promoting minority rights in Pakistan - a commitment I discussed with representatives from the UK-Pakistan diaspora on 18 February 2025. We are not prepared to discuss the detail of individual cases where to do so could put individuals at risk.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that international development funding is spent more efficiently. \p Stephen Doughty: The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including effectiveness, impact and value for money.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent progress has been made on adopting publicly accessible registers of beneficial ownership in the British Overseas Territories. \p Stephen Doughty: At the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in November 2024, all Overseas Territories (OT) committed to implementing registers with the maximum possible degree of access and transparency by June 2025. The registers will be fully public, or at least accessible to those with a legitimate interest in the interim.

UK Officials are working proactively with OT officials to ensure their proposals meet the JMC requirements. I have and will continue to raise this directly with elected leaders, including in my meeting with Premier Wheatley of the British Virgin Islands, in his own capacity, and as President of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA) last week.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of recent changes in the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation on (a) capacity building, (b) technical assistance, (c) development projects and (d) the implications for UK-funded initiatives. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK is deeply committed to the Commonwealth. We are the largest donor to Commonwealth inter-governmental organisations and their programmes, including the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC). We believe the Commonwealth's institutions can deliver even more tangible benefits to its members and have encouraged them to focus on those areas where they can add most value. We therefore support reform of the Commonwealth Secretariat to help place the organisation on a more sustainable financial footing.
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to include older women in international development (a) policies and (b) commitments. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK Government is committed to equality and opportunity for all, with a particular focus on those most likely to be marginalised and discriminated against, including on the grounds of their age. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) focuses on those with intersecting forms of disadvantage, like women and girls with disabilities, and we include age as a dimension in our efforts to ensure inclusion and our approach to leaving no one behind.

The FCDO recognises that meaningful engagement on ageing is impossible without good quality data. Our Inclusive Data Action Plan details our approach to ensure that data is disaggregated by age, disability, sex and geography. At a multilateral level, the UK has engaged closely with the work of the UN's Open Ended Working Group on Ageing and has supported UN resolutions on the human rights of older people.
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Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) refugee and (b) other aid agencies on the Alawites in Syria. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We are in regular discussion with our UN and NGO partners, as well as with other international partners, to get a fuller understanding of the impact of recent violence in coastal areas on Alawites and other communities living there, and to assess needs and responses. We continue to support humanitarian organisations to provide aid across Syria. The White Helmets, supported by UK funding, are responding in coastal areas by providing lifesaving medical services, responding to fires in civilian facilities, providing clean drinking water, and recovering bodies.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the latest draft of the proposed UK-Mauritius Treaty contains provisions for the UK being authorised to exercise the sovereign rights and authorities of Mauritius on Diego Garcia. \p Stephen Doughty: We will retain full control over Diego Garcia with robust provisions to keep adversaries out. These include unrestricted access to and use of the base for the UK and US, including control over the electromagnetic spectrum; a buffer zone around Diego Garcia; a comprehensive mechanism to ensure no activity in the other islands threatens base operations; and a ban on the presence of any foreign security forces. The details will be set out when the Treaty is laid before Parliament after signature.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure its consular guidance raises awareness of cities with high levels of carbon monoxide. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice remains under regular review to ensure it reflects our latest assessment of risks to British nationals. The risks from carbon monoxide poisoning are covered in travel advice for China and Nepal, Solo and independent travel and Volunteering and adventure travel pages as well as our Foreign travel checklist.

We aim to include information in our travel advice on the issues most likely to be of relevance to British nationals visiting or living in each country/territory. In determining what we include in our travel advice we assess a range of factors, including drawing on local knowledge and monitoring trends in consular cases.
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Jon Trickett:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many of their Department's officials have been seconded from (a) the Institute for Economic Affairs, (b) the Policy Exchange, (c) the Adam Smith Institute and (d) Labour Together since July 2024. \p Catherine West: Since July 2024 the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has had no staff seconded from (a) the Institute for Economic Affairs, (b) the Policy Exchange, (c) the Adam Smith Institute or (d) Labour Together.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when his Department's China Audit will be completed. \p Catherine West: The China Audit will conclude in spring 2025.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will list the (a) dates of and (b) names of those in attendance at meetings (i) he and (ii) his Ministers have had with representatives of the Chinese Government since July 2024. \p Catherine West: Meetings between Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office ministers and representatives of the Chinese government can be found through publicly accessible means either on GOV.UK or ministers' social media accounts. We cannot provide a full list of names in attendance for GDPR reasons.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is considering on UK-China cooperation on (a) climate change, (b) artificial intelligence and (c) clean energy. \p Catherine West: From 14-17 March, The Secretary of State for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will visit Beijing to discuss energy and the climate crisis with Chinese Ministers. He will sign a UK-China Clean Energy Partnership, hold the eighth UK-China Energy Dialogue, and formally invite counterparts to London to take part in a Climate Dialogue and sign a Climate Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Since China was represented at Vice-Ministerial level at the Bletchley AI Safety Summit in November 2023, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials maintain regular contact with Chinese counterparts on AI safety issues.
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Blair McDougall:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of China's treatment of (a) Falun Gong, (b) The Church of Almighty God and (c) Christian practitioners. \p Catherine West: The environment for freedom of religion or belief in China is restrictive, which includes the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and Christians. This Government stands firm on human rights, including the right to freedom of religion or belief. We raise our concerns at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and Chancellor have all raised human rights recently with their Chinese counterparts.

More broadly, this Government champions freedom of religion or belief for all abroad. We work to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora.
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Jas Athwal:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Indian counterpart on the release of Jagtar Singh Johal. \p Catherine West: The UK Government is committed to pushing the Government of India for faster progress to resolve Jagtar Singh Johal's case. The Foreign Secretary has raised Mr Johal's case with his Indian counterpart on several occasions, most recently on 5 March. The Prime Minister raised Mr Johal's case with Prime Minister Modi on 18 November 2024 and raised it with the Indian External Affairs Minister on 4 March, during his visit to the UK.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to engage with CARICOM authorities on the issue of freedom of movement for CARICOM nationals and its implications for UK citizens in the region. \p Catherine West: The UK has regular engagement with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat through our High Commission in Georgetown, Guyana. Part of this engagement includes discussions on issues which affect UK nationals and British Overseas Territories. Immigration is a matter for the local governments in each of the Caribbean Overseas Territories.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking with multilateral development banks to better support small agrifood businesses in developing countries. \p Catherine West: The UK works closely with Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to influence policy discussions and investments in food and agriculture, including in support of small agrifood businesses and producer organisations, which are critical to building resilient local food systems and for inclusive growth. This includes engagement through initiatives like the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme, which involves all relevant MDBs, and the Private Sector Financing Programme at the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support British Overseas Territories to improve their disaster (a) preparedness and (b) response capabilities in the context of trends in the number of natural disasters. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK continues to support UK Overseas Territories to develop preparedness, capability, and capacity to respond to disasters effectively.

This Financial Year, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has funded crisis leadership and technical skills training for disaster management stakeholders across the Overseas Territories. The FCDO has also supported efforts to improve emergency shelter capacity and standards, grow emergency communications resilience, and understand future threats linked to climate change.

I visited the emergency response centre in Anguilla on my recent visit and have regularly discussed these issues with Overseas Territories leaders, representatives, and Governors, including at the Joint Ministerial Council.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support British Overseas Territories to (a) tackle illegal fishing and (b) protect marine biodiversity. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office's Blue Belt Programme supports the UK Overseas Territories (UKOT) to tackle illegal fishing, including through the provision of maritime domain awareness capabilities. This includes risk-based satellite surveillance, tasking of satellite imagery to detect illegal activity, intelligence support and training for fisheries patrols. The Programme also provides regional coordination through relevant Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, supports Flag State engagement, and supports the implementation of compliance and enforcement frameworks to deter illegal fishing activity. This has resulted in fewer illegal incursions and a high level of compliance within UKOT waters. The Blue Belt supports the protection of the unique biodiversity of over 4.4 million square kilometres of UKOT waters through marine protected areas and other area-based conservation measures, which are underpinned by thorough scientific evidence, as well as ensuring they are well monitored, managed, and protected against the threat of harmful activity.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 26 September 2024 to Question HL1117 on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Equality, how many staff in his Department have been permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours since 1 January 2025. \p Catherine West: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not hold the data requested. The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will place China in the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. \p Catherine West: It would not be appropriate to comment at this point or speculate on which countries or entities may or may not be specified in the future.
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Brendan O'Hara:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Bangladeshi counterpart on the attack on the 98th Annual Convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Panchagarh district. \p Catherine West: The UK has a long-standing commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). Our support in Bangladesh aims to ensure that the rights of religious minorities, including the Ahmadiyya community, are respected, and that these communities are protected from discrimination. At the time of the attack, the previous UK Government raised the importance of FoRB with the former Bangladesh Government. In November 2024, I visited Bangladesh and discussed the importance of the protection of religious minorities with Chief Adviser Yunus. The UK will continue to support FoRB through regular dialogue with the Interim Government of Bangladesh and through our development programme funding.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Indian counterpart on Jagtar Singh Johal's recent acquittal. \p Catherine West: The Foreign Secretary raised Mr Johal's case with the Indian External Affairs Minister on 5 March, during his visit to the UK. The UK Government will continue to make clear to the Government of India that faster progress is needed toward a full resolution of Mr Johal's cases, including a full and independent investigation into his allegations of torture.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether (a) he, (b) his Ministers and (c) his officials have discussed the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme with their Chinese counterparts since July 2024. \p Catherine West: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials speak regularly with the Chinese Government about a range of issues. National Security is the first duty of government, and we will always act to protect it. Decisions on which foreign powers will be placed on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme are taken on a country by country basis, based on robust security and intelligence analysis.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to integrate nutrition initiatives with climate adaptation in its international development programs. \p Catherine West: The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office reports annually in its Nutrition Accountability Report on the level of International Climate Finance (ICF) that is nutrition sensitive. Data is published two years in arrears and on most recent figures 3 per cent of UK ICF is nutrition sensitive. The UK continues to champion the integration of improved nutrition outcomes alongside policy objectives in other sectors including health, agriculture, humanitarian, and climate adaptation. The UK government is looking forward to the upcoming 2025 Nutrition for Growth Summit in Paris and is working closely with the French government to call for the integration of nutrition into climate programming at the summit.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Canadian counterpart on the potential impact of interprovincial trade barriers on UK-Canada trade relations. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign Secretary speaks regularly with Canadian Foreign Minister Joly, most recently in late February, where they discussed a range of bilateral and global issues. They also spoke on 28 January 2025. I met my counterpart Rob Oliphant last week. Canada is one of our closest allies, underpinned by a broad trade and investment relationship which we are committed to deepening further. The Foreign Secretary has not discussed interprovincial trade with his counterpart.
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Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the level of (a) security and (b) welfare of the Alawite population in Syria. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The events in Syria at the start of March were deeply concerning, and reports that large numbers of civilians have been killed are horrific. We continue to work to establish from reliable sources of information what exactly happened and who was responsible. We welcome the interim authorities' announcement of the establishment of a fact-finding committee to investigate and prosecute individuals who committed crimes during the clashes. Following the Foreign Secretary's public statement on 9 March, I made clear in my Statement to the House on 10 March that the interim authorities have a responsibility to ensure the protection of all Syrian civilians and to make progress towards an inclusive political transition. We will judge them by their actions.
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Jas Athwal:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on human rights in Pakistan. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Promoting human rights is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan. I raised the importance of upholding civil and political rights with senior Pakistani Ministers, including the Minister for Human Rights and Interior Minister, during my visit to Pakistan in November 2024. Our High Commission in Islamabad also regularly raises human rights issues, including minority rights, with the Pakistani authorities at the highest levels. For example, on 3 March 2025, our High Commissioner in Islamabad raised the rights of the Ahmadi community in a meeting with Prime Minister Sharif. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people in accordance with international standards.
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Kate Osamor:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Tunisian counterpart on the imprisonment of Said Ferjani. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK monitors the situation in Tunisia closely, including the recent sentence and ongoing case against Said Ferjani. During his visit to Tunisia in January, the Foreign Secretary noted the importance of political participation and human rights in discussions with the Tunisian Government. and on On 17 February, our the British Ambassador to Tunisia raised the case of Mr Ferjani with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Officials are observing ongoing trial proceedings against Mr. Ferjani to signal our support for the importance of a free and fair trial, and met members of his family on 27 February to discuss his case.
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Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the Alawites in Syria. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has consistently advocated for an inclusive political transition and underlined the importance of protecting the rights of all Syrians, both publicly and as part of our engagement with international partners and the interim Syrian authorities. Over the past week, the Foreign Secretary has discussed developments in Syria with French Foreign Minister Barrot (9 March) and Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan (10 March), and the UK Special Representative for Syria has spoken directly to affected Alawite communities.
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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 recent changes in Canada's border security measures for UK citizens traveling to Canada. \p Stephen Doughty: We have taken note of Canada's new border policies, which include expanded surveillance, heightened screening, and enhanced tools to detect fraud. We will continue to monitor any impact on British travellers.

UK citizens travelling to Canada should ensure they have an Electronic Travel Authorisation or visa as required, and they should ensure their passport is valid for the length of their stay. They should also consult FCDO Travel Advice, which is kept up to date with the latest requirements.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the recent discovery of lithium deposits in Quebec on UK-Canada energy cooperation. \p Stephen Doughty: Critical minerals are pivotal to the net zero transition and we welcome Canada's focus on this during their G7 Presidency this year. We have welcomed the Canadian Global Minerals Action Plan, which helps set out a path to ensure diverse, resilient and sustainable supply chains around the world. We look forward to further collaboration with Canada and our partners in this field.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with Canadian authorities on the preservation of the endangered Vancouver Island marmot and its implications for UK-Canada biodiversity initiatives. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign Secretary has not spoken to his Canadian counterparts about the endangered Vancouver Island marmot. He speaks regularly to Foreign Minister Joly about a whole range of issues, including the importance of tackling climate change and biodiversity loss in this important year of the Canadian G7 Presidency. We are proud of our strong partnership with Canada, and together, we will continue to champion delivery of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity framework to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans his Department has to continue supporting the delivery of humanitarian aid to Lebanon. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK is committed to supporting Lebanon to meet the humanitarian needs of both refugees and vulnerable Lebanese communities. The UK has played a leading role in addressing the humanitarian situation in Lebanon and announced £41 million in humanitarian aid in Financial Year 24/25 to support thousands of displaced and host communities to meet their basic needs and access essential services. We recognise post-ceasefire needs remain high and the UK's ongoing response will continue, including working with international partners to support the Government of Lebanon to respond to the UN Flash Appeal extension.
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Liam Byrne:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will hold a summit of international financial centres. \p Stephen Doughty: Tackling corruption and illicit finance is a central priority of the Foreign Secretary to support the Government's Plan for Change by supporting UK growth and national security, including safer streets. The Foreign Secretary's Campaign Against Illicit Finance, launched in November 2024, will work in partnership with the rest of His Majesty's Government to deliver a powerful whole of UK Government approach both at home and internationally. The Foreign Secretary is exploring a range of options to galvanise global collective action against this transnational threat, including the idea to host an international summit.
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Monica Harding:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which (a) geographical regions and (b) thematic programmes will be prioritised in the allocation of official development assistance. \p Stephen Doughty: The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments.
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Preet Kaur Gill:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what contribution he will make to the World Bank IDA's 21st replenishment. \p Stephen Doughty: The impact on the UK contribution to the World Bank International Development Association's (IDA) 21st replenishment is being worked through following the decision to reduce UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) from 0.5% of GNI to 0.3% in 2027. We will be taking a rigorous approach to ensure all ODA delivers value for money. We will set out our spending plans following the completion of the Spending Review and departmental resource allocation processes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_225

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has held recent discussions with his Turkish counterpart on the ongoing legal proceedings against Ekrem İmamoğlu. \p Stephen Doughty: The Government looks to Turkey, as a modern democracy and a fellow member of the Council of Europe, to undertake any legal processes fairly, transparently and with full respect for the rule of law. The Government regularly raises human rights and rule of law issues with Turkey. Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_226

James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to place sanctions on Naftna Industrija Srbije. \p Stephen Doughty: On 10 January the UK designated Gazprom Neft, one of Russia's energy giants. We do not comment on future designations as this could affect their impact. We keep all evidence and potential designations under review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_227

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with international counterparts on freedom of (a) religion and (b) belief in Georgia. \p Stephen Doughty: All Georgians, regardless of their religion or belief, must be protected by their government and feel safe to gather peacefully. No one should live in fear for what they do, or do not, believe in. The UK regularly discusses the promotion and protection of human rights with international counterparts and vocally supports the right to freedom of religion or belief and other rights in Georgia, including through our work in the Council of Europe, and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_228

Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his Department's policy is on the presence of Israeli armed forces in positions within Syria since 8 December 2024. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We continue to call on Israel, and all actors, to uphold their obligations to peace, stability, and security under international law.  We are increasingly concerned by Israel's actions in Syria and are raising these concerns directly with the Israeli authorities. Israel have said their presence in the buffer zone in the Golan Heights will be limited and temporary, and we have been clear that we expect them to adhere to this commitment. We recognise current threats to Israel, Israel's presence in the buffer zone must not become permanent.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_229

Brendan O'Hara:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much direct bilateral financial aid to Rwanda has been paused; and whether this funding will be reallocated for urgent humanitarian assistance in Eastern DRC. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access, respect for international humanitarian law, meaningful engagement with African-led peace processes, and the withdrawal of all Rwanda Defence Forces from Congolese territory.

Until significant progress is made towards this, we have made the decision to pause direct bilateral financial aid to the Government of Rwanda, excluding support to the poorest and most vulnerable. In this financial year (2024/25), we have paused £3 million in direct bilateral financial aid. Future financial years' budgets are yet to be confirmed and subject to the outcome of the current Spending Review.

The humanitarian situation in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is critical. We remain committed to supporting those most in need and are providing over £80 million in lifesaving humanitarian assistance to the DRC this year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_230

Paulette Hamilton:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the English Cricket Board on the recent sale of its equity in the Hundred cricket franchises. \p Stephanie Peacock: We want a thriving sector, with robust National Governing Bodies that can use their nationwide remit to deliver sport to people across the country. Sustainable investment is important for achieving this. The Hundred will see additional investment into grassroots cricket from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which is welcomed.

I met with the ECB in September to hear about the ECB’s priorities and challenges, including investment into cricket. I also met with the ECB as well as other governing bodies in November to discuss the future of sport, including the financial sustainability of the sector; and most recently at a roundtable with the Department for Education this month to discuss the future of PE and sport.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_231

Mr Louie French:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what data her Department holds on the number of gambling-related complaints filed with the Gambling Commission in 2024. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Gambling Commission publishes annual and quarterly data on the type and number of complaints received to the Gambling Commission Contact Centre on their website. In 2024 the Gambling Commission received 6896 complaints.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_232

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase investment in local swimming facilities in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government recognises that sports facilities, in communities up and down the country, help to support more people to get active wherever they live.

The responsibility of providing access to public swimming pools lies at Local Authority level. The Government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_233

Jon Trickett:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many of their Department's officials have been seconded from (a) the Institute for Economic Affairs, (b) the Policy Exchange, (c) the Adam Smith Institute and (d) Labour Together since July 2024. \p Stephanie Peacock: DCMS has not seconded any employees from the places listed.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_234

Ann Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on (a) the future availability of (i) international rugby tournaments and (b) Six Nations on free-to-air television in Wales and (b) including the Six Nations in Group A of listed sporting events. \p Stephanie Peacock: I intend to visit Wales in the near future and discuss sporting and other issues with the Welsh Government and other Welsh stakeholders.

It is right that the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Six Nations Rugby take a considered and balanced approach: recognising the need to achieve reach with existing and new fans, the importance that the Six Nations has for the cultural pride of each of the Home Nations, whilst maximising broadcast revenue.

BBC and ITV have now agreed a new four-year deal for the rights to the Six Nations, which will ensure that the Six Nations will remain on free to air television for people to enjoy for the foreseeable future.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_235

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to increase the (a) transparency and (b) accountability of lottery fundraising by charities. \p Stephanie Peacock: The transparency and accountability of society lottery operators is a matter for the Gambling Commission through its Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP).

The Minister for Gambling has no current plans to take action in this area.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_236

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans her Department has to remove the cap on charity lottery ticket sales. \p Stephanie Peacock: Society lotteries are a vital fundraising tool for many charities, community groups, sports clubs and other non-commercial organisations.

We are carefully considering calls to increase or remove limits on ticket sales, alongside the results of independent research into the lotteries sector.

We will provide an update on our policy position before the Summer Recess.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_237

Dr Roz Savage:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make funding available to support the creation of a Covid-19 memorial in South Cotswolds constituency. \p Stephanie Peacock: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will never be forgotten, and the recent COVID-19 Day of Reflection was an opportunity for communities to come together to remember the lives of those who died, and the sacrifices made by so many. The UK Commission on Covid Commemoration consulted on how to commemorate the COVID-19 pandemic and mark this distinctive period in our history at a national and community level. This Commission made a number of recommendations, including the creation of new COVID-19 memorials in local communities.

This government wants to carefully consider all the Commission's recommendations, working closely with Bereaved Family groups, other departments and the Devolved Governments to do justice to the hard work of the Commission, and will publish a response in due course.