theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost to the public purse was of purchasing (a) land and (b) properties as part of the A12 widening scheme; and how (a) much land and (b) many properties were purchased. \p Lilian Greenwood: As announced on 8 July 2025, this Government inherited a series of commitments that could not be afforded. Therefore, the Secretary of State for Transport had to take the difficult decision not to progress the A12 (Chelmsford to A120) Widening Scheme.

The cost to the public purse to date of purchasing a) land is £0.8 million and b) the cost to the public purse to date of purchasing properties is £19.9 million; and a) 38,600 square metres of land and b) 26 properties have been purchased. Following cancellation of the scheme, National Highways will be working to bring the scheme to a close and will publish details on costs incurred in its Annual Report and Accounts in due course.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help improve the safety of train drivers in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire. \p Simon Lightwood: Ensuring the continued safety of train drivers across the national rail network remains a priority for my department. Train operators are subject to strict legal duties, which are enforced by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), to ensure that the train drivers they employ can work in safety. My department works closely with the ORR, the Rail Safety and Standards Board and the wider rail industry to keep these measures under review and to identify areas for improvement. This has included supporting research to improve the industry’s understanding of issues such as fatigue management and access to welfare facilities, and the development of improved standards and guidance to codify best practice.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish her Department's analysis of phase 5 of the South West Rail Resilience Programme. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department does not publish analysis of rail enhancement projects whilst they remain in development.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has set a deadline for Network Rail to produce a revised proposal for Phase 5 of the South West Rail Resilience Programme. \p Simon Lightwood: We are continuing to fund drainage and ground investigations that will provide Network Rail with detailed data on the stability of the cliffs above that section of route and will inform their consideration of a proposal for a long-term solution in due course.

The project will be kept under active review as part of our longer-term pipeline of schemes, for further consideration when funding discussions are being held and we have a clear proposal for a long-term solution.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will allocate funding to Phase 5 of the South West Rail Resilience Programme in the next spending review. \p Simon Lightwood: We have set out our plans for this Spending Review period and will consider the next Spending Review at the appropriate time.
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John Milne:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will ask Gatwick Airport to publish an assessment of the potential impact of a second runway on levels of emissions other than carbon dioxide. \p Mike Kane: The application for the Gatwick Airport Northern Runway Development Consent Order, submitted by Gatwick Airport Limited, is currently with the Secretary of State for a decision, with a statutory deadline of the 27 October 2025.

The Examining Authority, in its 6-month Examination conducted last year, held several public hearings on the issues of noise and surface transport, providing Interested Parties with the opportunity to present their views. There is no mechanism within the Planning Act 2008 to conduct a public hearing at the decision stage.

The Secretary of State has consulted on several matters during the decision stage and may request further information from Gatwick Airport or Interested Parties, if she is not satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to take a decision. Interested Parties can provide further representations to the Secretary of State, which will be taken into consideration. All information regarding this application can be found on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has spent on equipment to enable staff to work from home in each of the last three years. \p Mike Kane: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has issued a range of equipment to support staff in working from home. Based on available records covering the past three years:
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Shaun Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timeline is for the (a) funding and (b) construction of the M54 and M6 link road; and what the split between public and private funding will be. \p Lilian Greenwood: On the 8th July, the Transport Secretary announced that the scheme will be progressing, following on from the Spending Review in June. The delivery timetable for the scheme will be confirmed during the setting of the next Road Investment Strategy [RIS3], which begins in April 2026.

The scheme is publicly funded and will support the government’s mission to kickstart economic growth.
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Damian Hinds:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of prisoners eligible for release from prison on home detention curfew were released on home detention curfew (a) in the first month of eligibility and (b) at any time in each of the last three years. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The number of those released on home detention curfew (HDC) within 30 days of their HDC Eligibility Date in the latest published data period (between 01 October and 31 December 2024) in England and Wales was 2,827.

The number of those released on HDC each year is published in the Department’s Offender Management Statistics Quarterly (OMSQ) publication. This information can be found in Table 3_A_14:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685492a1f812712f84581555/prison-releases-2024.ods
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service has spent on equipment for staff to work from home in each of the last three years. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: Obtaining this information could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Legal Aid Agency has spent on equipment for staff to work from home in each of the last three years. \p Sarah Sackman: This information could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

Heads of departments have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service.
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Ben Lake:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to (a) identify and (b) support people affected by the collapse of McClure solicitors. \p Sarah Sackman: We are aware that the collapse has had a serious impact on a substantial number of former clients of McClure solicitors, particularly in relation to Family Protection trusts and other estate planning arrangements. The responsibility for regulation of such law firms lies with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) which is independent of Government. Responsibility for regulating the legal profession rests with approved regulators, overseen by the Legal Services Board. The SRA sets professional standards that solicitors (and firms) must adhere to.

Given the independence of the legal profession and its regulators, the Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the number of individuals affected in Wales.

I have discussed the McClure solicitors firm collapse with the leadership of the SRA and urged them to take robust action.

The SRA has investigated the conduct of those former partners of WW&J McClure. While these former partners are no longer on the Roll of Solicitors in England and Wales, the SRA keeps any relevant concerns on record. Should any of these individuals apply to return to the profession in the future, the SRA may consider taking appropriate action at that point.  Further guidance can be found in the latest SRA update on WW&J McClure, available here: SRA | WW&J McClure and Jones Whyte | Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Further, the SRA has required a formal compliance plan from Jones Whyte (who took on clients’ cases when McClure collapsed) and is overseeing its implementation. This plan includes specific undertakings to prioritise client contact, act promptly on instructions, and ensure that the interests of former McClure clients are protected. The SRA continues to monitor the handling of former McClure client matters by Jones Whyte Solicitors and is working with relevant bodies to address concerns raised.

Former clients of McClure may be eligible to pursue compensation claims through Lockton, the brokers responsible for professional indemnity cover under the Law Society of Scotland’s Master Policy. Claims under this route require individuals to demonstrate negligence, and legal advice may be necessary. It is also important to note that legal representatives may charge fees for their services in such matters.

In addition, the Legal Ombudsman may be able to assist individuals who are dissatisfied with the service they have received from a regulated legal provider, including delays or failures in communication.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service has spent on equipment for staff to work from home in each of the last three years. \p Sarah Sackman: HM Courts and Tribunals Service provides equipment that enables staff to work across multiple locations, including from home where appropriate. This includes meeting legal obligations to provide reasonable workplace adjustments for staff who require them. All employees are expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

The Department does not record expenditure in a way that separately identifies costs specifically related to home working. Reviewing individual invoices to collate this information would incur disproportionate costs.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Government plans to commission an independent review of training for (a)  family court judges, (b) Cafcass officers and  (c) expert witnesses on (i) coercive control, (ii) post-separation abuse and (iii) the misuse of legal processes by perpetrators. \p Sarah Sackman: The Government currently has no plans to commission an independent review of training for family court judges, Cafcass officers and expert witnesses.

The judiciary is independent of the Government; under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, the Lady Chief Justice has statutory responsibility for the training of the judiciary of England and Wales. This is fulfilled on behalf of the Lady Chief Justice by the Judicial College.

Cafcass is an independent Arm’s Length Body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice and is responsible for its own training. Cafcass Family Court Advisers complete mandatory domestic abuse training including on using Cafcass’ Child Impact Assessment Framework which has guidance and tools for assessing when domestic abuse is a feature of the child’s case, including when coercive control is present. Family Court Advisers are also trained to follow Cafcass’ Domestic Abuse Practice Policy which sets out the actions they must undertake when working with children and adults who have experienced domestic abuse

The annex to Practice Direction 25B outlines the standards an expert witness in children proceedings must adhere to. These include that they are appropriately qualified (where relevant), have sufficient experience of the issue on which they are to give evidence and undertake continuous professional development. It is at the courts’ discretion whether to give permission for the instruction of an expert; this decision is based on all of the information available to the court, including whether the expert has undertaken suitable training and qualifications.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the evaluation of the Pathfinder pilot family courts will be published in full prior to any national policy changes based on its findings. \p Sarah Sackman: The Government commissioned formal evaluation of the Pathfinder pilots in North Wales and Dorset in two parts. The first part was a process evaluation and financial analysis which was published in March 2025. The second part examines the experiences of children and families and will be published later this year.

The two evaluation reports are already informing policy and operational changes; and monitoring and evaluation of Pathfinder is ongoing. A feasibility study, to identify options for further impact and economic evaluation of Pathfinder, is underway and will be published later this year.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how often the presumption of contact was disapplied in family court proceedings where (a) allegations and (b) findings of domestic abuse were present in the last 12 months; and whether her Department plans to publish data on how Domestic Abuse Protection Orders are being used to safeguard (i) survivors and (ii) children during ongoing family court contact disputes. \p Sarah Sackman: Data is not held centrally on how often the presumption of parental involvement is disapplied in family court proceedings under either a) or b). The relevant data could only be obtained by an analysis of individual case files at a disproportionate cost.

Domestic Abuse Protection Orders, known as DAPOs, can be made in ongoing family proceedings to protect victims from domestic abuse or the risk of domestic abuse. DAPOs are being tested in selected areas and will be subject to evaluation.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when her Department plans to publish its review of the presumption of parental contact in family courts; and whether that review will include consideration of disapplying the presumption in cases where domestic abuse has been evidenced. \p Sarah Sackman: The Review into the Presumption of Parental Involvement is now complete. The Review and the Government’s response and next steps will be published shortly.
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Shaun Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when court room six at Shropshire Justice Centre will be re-opened. \p Sarah Sackman: The works to make courtroom six operational were completed on 7 June 2025, and the first sitting took place on 10 June 2025.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many civil cases tried in court had a jury in each of the last ten years, broken down by case type. \p Sarah Sackman: No central data is recorded on the numbers of juries convened for civil proceedings in England and Wales, nor the breakdown into types of case. Requests are passed to the jury summoning bureau as the need arises.

The use of juries in civil cases is highly exceptional, and the most common examples where a civil jury may still be used would be for claims relating to false imprisonment or malicious prosecution.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of criminal trials were heard before a jury in each of the last five years. \p Sarah Sackman: The Ministry of Justice does not centrally hold information on the numbers and proportion of criminal trials heard before a jury. However, the vast majority of criminal cases are heard in the magistrates’ courts without juries – with 90% of all criminal cases being dealt with by magistrates. Of the remaining defendants that do progress to the Crown Court for trial, most plead guilty, meaning their cases do not go before a jury. Therefore, the most accurate proxy available for how many cases are heard by a jury in the Crown Court is the number of defendants who plead not guilty. The table below provides a breakdown of this data over the past five years:

Defendants dealt with in trial cases disposed of in the Crown Court, 2020-2024

Year

Total number of defendants

Plea entered: Guilty

Plea entered: Not guilty

Guilty plea rate

2020

50,353

34,341

7,404

72%

2021

63,884

40,613

12,069

67%

2022

61,193

37,340

11,964

64%

2023

70,917

42,039

14,838

62%

2024

76,653

44,288

15,638

61%
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of trials by jury on levels of public confidence in the criminal justice system. \p Sarah Sackman: Sir Brian Leveson has published the first part of his Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, setting out a number of recommendations on the use of jury trials in the Crown Court. Jury trials are a cornerstone of our justice system and will remain in place for the most serious cases. However, we must consider bold action to tackle the rising backlog. There is evidence that significant delays undermine confidence in the system. Over 90% of criminal cases are heard without a jury and deliver swift justice. We will carefully consider Sir Brian’s proposals before setting out the Government’s full response in the autumn.
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Sarah Champion:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of the number of unfilled magistrate vacancies on 9 July 2025. \p Sarah Sackman: We do not have a set number of magistrate vacancies. Magistrate recruitment targets are set on an annual basis covering 1 April to 31 March. As of 1 April 2025, there were 14,636 magistrates in post. We are aiming to recruit around 2,000 magistrates in 2025/26, and we are currently considering our ongoing resourcing needs in light of the planned reform of the criminal courts.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Office of the Public Guardian has spent on equipment for staff to work from home in each of the last three years. \p Sarah Sackman: Information on the cost of equipment provided specially for home working cannot be obtained without incurring a disproportionate cost, due to the way these costs are recorded.
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Carolyn Harris:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in the context of children under the age of two who are separated from their mothers in prison, if she will publish (a) a list of types of setting in which those children are looked after and (b) the (i) number and (ii) proportion of children looked after by setting type. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: Data on the number of babies accommodated in Mother and Baby Units (MBUs) in England is published at Table 10.1 of the HMPPS Annual Digest 2023-2024:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmpps-annual-digest-april-2023-to-march-2024/hmpps-annual-digest-2023-to-2024#mother-and-baby-units-mbus-pregnant-prisoners-and-births.

The Annual Digest 2024 - 2025 is scheduled for publication at the end of July. Owing to our obligations under the Code of Practice for Statistics, we are unable to provide the latest data as this time, as they are intended for future publication.

Women who are pregnant, or who have children up to and around the age of 18 months, can apply for a place in an MBU. MBUs normally accommodate babies up until the age of 18 months, though in exceptional circumstances a child may remain beyond 18 months.

Data is not held on the number of mothers in prison who are separated from children under the age of two, or on the care arrangements for those children. While applications for MBU placements are recorded, there is no central record of children who are not placed in MBUs or the reasons for separation.

Care decisions are made by local authorities in accordance with their safeguarding responsibilities under the Children Act 1989 and the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023.

We recognise that parental imprisonment is an adverse childhood experience. We are working closely with the Department for Education to determine how we identify these children effectively, and the best way to provide support for affected children and their parent in prison.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority has spent on equipment for staff to work from home in each of the last three years. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The following table outlines the amounts the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority has spent on equipment for staff to work from home in each of the last three financial years.

Financial Year

Total Cost

2022-23

£3,938.15

2023-24

£853.98

2024-25

£3,923.81

Total Spend

£8,715.94
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Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison officers have been dismissed as a result of gross misconduct since July 2024. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: HMPPS publishes data on dismissals related to conduct and disciplinary matters as part of its annual Staff Equalities Report. The collection page can be found here: HMPPS annual staff equalities report - GOV.UK.

The 2024/2025 edition of the report is scheduled for publication on 27 November 2025. It will include total figures for all dismissals arising from conduct and disciplinary cases.
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Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been (a) convicted and (b) prosecuted for offences under section 41 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 in each month since July 2024. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The Ministry of Justice publishes data on prosecutions and convictions for a range of offences including immigration offences and those under the Nationality and Borders Act in the Outcomes by Offences data tool up to the end of 2024. The tool can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department plans to increase the punishment for arson. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The crime of arson, where destruction or damage to property is committed by fire, is a horrific crime and should be investigated and punished with the full force of the law. The maximum penalty for arson is life imprisonment. The Government therefore does not intend to increase the maximum penalty for this offence. Sentencing for the offence is a matter for the independent Sentencing Council. In 2019 it produced guidelines for sentencing cases of arson.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information her Department holds on (a) levels of pathologists engaged by the Isle of Wight coroner and (b) how those appointments were made. \p Alex Davies-Jones: Coroner services are funded and administered by one of 74 lead local authorities. Coronial post-mortem examinations are carried out on a fee paid basis at the request of the coroner by specialist practitioners from within the cadre of pathologists in England and Wales who undertake post-mortem work. The Ministry of Justice does not currently hold data on the number of practitioners carrying out this work in individual coroner areas, but we are undertaking a data collection exercise to better understand the spread of provision across the 74 areas.

The Government acknowledges the significant challenges currently affecting post-mortem pathology services across England and Wales. It is firmly committed to driving meaningful progress on this complex, cross-cutting issue as a matter of urgency. This includes engagement with relevant Ministerial colleagues to identify and implement a sustainable, long-term solution.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what representations she has received from the public on the use of reparations for those convicted of criminal offences. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Department has interpreted ‘representations’ to mean correspondence sent to the Secretary of State for Justice or her Ministers. One piece of correspondence related to this issue was received by the Department.
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Sammy Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Armenia on tackling the transit of goods from (a) western countries to Russia and (b) Russia to western countries through Armenia in order to circumvent sanctions. \p Stephen Doughty: I raised the issue of Russian sanctions evasion with the Armenian Foreign Minister on 11 April, in the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, as I have with other international partners. The UK Government has issued tailored guidance to UK exporters working with businesses in several countries, including Armenia, to raise awareness of the risks associated with sanctions circumvention and to support compliance with UK sanctions law. The UK Government has also recently published guidance for non-UK businesses operating in countries where there is a heightened risk of circumvention of UK sanctions. This guidance has been translated into local languages including Armenian.

As I have reiterated in my conversations with international partners, including Armenia, maintaining vigilance against Russian sanctions evasion is critical. Any circumvention undermines the effectiveness of international pressure on Russia and risks prolonging the war in Ukraine. I am pleased to see an ongoing decrease in Common High Priority (CHP) items exported from Armenia to Russia over the course of the past year.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much their Department has spent on translating documents into languages other than (a) English and (b) other native UK languages in each year since 2023; and what these languages were. \p Catherine West: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) operates across 282 posts worldwide and has a wide range of translation and interpretation requirements across multiple foreign languages. While some translation services are specifically contracted, much of this work is likely to be part of larger programmes or ad hoc, making it very difficult to provide specific data in response to this question.

The FCDO does however procure essential translation services from FCDO Services. In the financial year 2024-25, the FCDO spend with FCDO Services on translations from English into languages other than Welsh was £133,000 (in 2023-24, it was £118,000). These translation services were used for approximately 30 different languages, predominantly for translations into Arabic, French, Spanish and the Afghan languages - Dari and Pashto.

In addition, the FCDO uses its own staff overseas or local suppliers to provide translation services when required. Machine translation, such as Google, and Artificial Intelligence are now also used.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of his Department's procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year. \p Catherine West: Based on available data, in the financial year 2024-25, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) centrally awarded a total of 558 commercial contracts. Of these, 277 contracts-representing approximately 49.6 per cent of awarded contracts-were awarded to companies with their head office registered in the United Kingdom.

The FCDO ensures that its contracts are tendered in accordance with UK procurement legislation, promoting open and fair competition, following a set of standard processes designed to ensure transparency, value for money, and equal opportunity for suppliers.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has issued guidance to civil servants on resigning if they disagree with government policy. \p Catherine West: The Foreign Secretary has not issued guidance to staff on this matter. The Permanent Under-Secretaries did respond to a series of letters from a group of staff to the Foreign Secretary raising concerns about the UK's Middle East policy, however, setting out the many avenues and options available to staff who have concerns about the UK Government's policy, particularly in relation to the Civil Service Code.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the cost was of the summer reception at Lancaster House on 1 July 2025. \p Catherine West: The total cost of the Foreign Secretary's Summer Reception on 1 July 2025 was £49,069.88.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-17)

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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UN Human Rights Council 59: UK Statement on the report of the Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, published on 16 June 2025, what steps he is taking to support access to (a) education, (b) employment, (c) freedom of movement and (d) expression for Afghan women and girls. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Government condemns the Taliban's appalling repression of Afghan women and girls. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials regularly press the Taliban to respect the human rights of all Afghans, including women and girls, especially the right to education. We support access to education, through our international partners. At least 50 per cent of people reached by UK aid in Afghanistan are women and girls and our aid supports livelihood opportunities for women. We continue to engage directly with Afghans to help shape our policy and programmes. Upholding human rights and gender equality is not only a moral imperative but also essential for building a stable, inclusive, and prosperous country for all Afghans.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-17 conversation_233

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2025 to Question 63636 on BBC World Service, which projects were not settled in the Spending Review and will be determined under separate consideration in the autumn. \p Catherine West: We now have our departmental allocation in the Spending Review. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Official Development Assistance (ODA) and non-ODA allocations and the impact on programmes, including the BBC World Service, are being worked through between now and the autumn.

The World Service's Grant-in-Aid funding for the next three years will be decided through this process.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-17 conversation_234

Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Members of Parliament will be given the opportunity to read the China Audit in a secure location. \p Catherine West: There are mechanisms in place for certain parliamentarians to have access to classified Government material. The Government will not be releasing the full details of the findings of the Audit as it was conducted at a higher security classification.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-17 conversation_235

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2025 to Question 60010 on British Indian Ocean Territory (Constitution) Order 2004 and with reference to the UK/Mauritius Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to (a) amend and (b) repeal the British Indian Ocean Territory (Constitution) Order 2004. \p Stephen Doughty: The government introduced the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill on 15 July.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-17 conversation_236

Sir Edward Leigh:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Colombian counterpart on the forced disappearance of eight people in Guaviare Department on 4 and 5 April 2025; and whether he has had discussions with that counterpart on investigations into those disappearances. \p Catherine West: We are concerned at the increasing rate of violence in Colombia, including the killing of eight social leaders in Guaviare. We work closely with the Attorney General's Office and Colombian authorities who are investigating the killings, and through our peace programme, we are working to support the Colombian government to tackle the root causes of violence to prevent such attacks. Our Embassy in Bogotá regularly engages with the local government, the church, victims, and ex-combatants in Guaviare. At the Human Rights Council and UN Security Council, we regularly call for greater protection of social and community leaders and to secure lasting peace by implementing the 2016 Peace Agreement. Through the UN Multi Partner Trust Fund, the UK supports projects to reduce violence and improve security in the department of Guaviare.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-17 conversation_237

James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the Government meets its international climate-finance pledge by March 2026. \p Catherine West: The UK remains committed to providing International Climate Finance now and in the future, and to playing our part alongside other developed countries and climate finance providers to deliver our international obligations. It remains our ambition to deliver £11.6 billion of International Climate Finance between April 2021 and March 2026. Climate and nature are top priorities for the UK's Official Development Assistance budget, alongside humanitarian and health.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-17 conversation_238

Stephen Gethins:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of recent arrests of political leaders in Georgia. \p Stephen Doughty: I am deeply concerned by the recent, politically motivated, sentencing of prominent Georgian opposition leaders. On 23 June, I urged Georgian Dream to stop misusing the judiciary to silence opposition voices, and to release all political prisoners.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) summoned the Georgian Chargé d'Affaires to formally register our concerns about Georgian Dream's unacceptable actions. On 1 July, I spoke with a number of European partners to discuss our collective concerns and, on 11 July, the Foreign Secretary issued a joint statement condemning the politically motivated detentions of opposition politicians.

While Georgian Dream's actions negatively affect our bilateral relations, the UK remains a firm supporter of the Georgian people's Euro-Atlantic aspirations and stands ready to support a return to democratic norms and European values.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-17 conversation_239

Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Saudi Arabian counterpart on the case of Ahmed al-Doush. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We are providing consular support to Mr Al-Doush and his family and are in contact with the Saudi Arabian authorities. I met the family on 8 July 2025 to discuss the case.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-17 conversation_240

Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what humanitarian assistance his Department has provided to support religious minority communities affected by conflict in Syria. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) does not provide targeted humanitarian assistance for religious minority communities in Syria. The FCDO uses data and evidence to guide humanitarian allocations, ensuring that resources are directed to where they are most needed, in line with humanitarian principles. Our humanitarian funding in Syria provides urgent humanitarian aid to millions of Syrians across the country, as well as support for Syria's longer-term recovery through education and livelihoods initiatives. We continue to focus our diplomatic efforts on advocating and supporting the Syrian Government to ensure an inclusive, representative and non-sectarian political transition which respects the rights of all Syrians.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-17 conversation_241

Calum Miller:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Israeli counterpart on reports of deaths of civilians queuing for food at Gaza Humanitarian Fund distribution centres. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Reports of mass casualty incidents at and near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites are horrifying. Over 600 people have been killed since the GHF began operations.

We regularly engage with Israeli counterparts to urge them to improve the situation on the ground. On 22 June the Foreign Secretary spoke to Minister of Foreign Affairs Sa'ar to express his horror at the mass casualty incidents at GHF sites. He stressed the need to deliver aid at pace and scale.

Humanitarian aid should never be used as a political tool. The UN and trusted partners must be able to operate in line with humanitarian principles and deliver lifesaving aid.

Working closely with the US and our allies, we will continue to support calls for a lasting ceasefire that can end the war, ensure the release of all hostages and a surge of aid into Gaza.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-17 conversation_242

Calum Miller: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 reports of Gaza Humanitarian Fund contractors opening fire on civilians queuing for food. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Reports of mass casualty incidents at and near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites are horrifying. Over 600 people have been killed since the GHF began operations.

We regularly engage with Israeli counterparts to urge them to improve the situation on the ground. On 22 June the Foreign Secretary spoke to Minister of Foreign Affairs Sa'ar to express his horror at the mass casualty incidents at GHF sites. He stressed the need to deliver aid at pace and scale.

Humanitarian aid should never be used as a political tool. The UN and trusted partners must be able to operate in line with humanitarian principles and deliver lifesaving aid.

Working closely with the US and our allies, we will continue to support calls for a lasting ceasefire that can end the war, ensure the release of all hostages and a surge of aid into Gaza.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-17 conversation_243

Anneliese Dodds:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on the availability of medical-grade baby formula at the El-Tahrir Children's Hospital in Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We remain gravely concerned by the lack of adequate medical care in Gaza; nearly all Gaza's hospitals are damaged or partly destroyed according to the World Health Organization. Humanitarian workers must be protected and medical and aid workers must be able to do their jobs safely. On 19 May, the UK released a joint donors statement with 26 other signatories on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, calling for a full resumption of aid into Gaza and for Israel to allow the UN and other aid organisations to operate independently. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 22 June to press Israel to restore humanitarian access. UK support has enabled the delivery of 1.3 million items of life-saving medicines, over 70,000 wound care packs and more than 500,000 patient consultations delivered through UK-Med. We have and will continue to press Israel to allow the entry of all necessary medical and nutritional supplies.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-17 conversation_244

Andy McDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the oral statement of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of 4 June 2025 on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Official Report, Column 338, (a) how and (b) when his Department will review the impact of actions announced on 20 May 2025; and whether he has a deadline for Israel to cease military action in Gaza before further action is taken. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We continue to review our policy in relation to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. On 20 May 2025, the UK sanctioned three individuals, two illegal outposts and two organisations that have supported, incited and promoted violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. On 10 June the UK, acting alongside Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway, went on to sanction Israeli government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, in their personal capacities, in response to their repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities. As I have been clear, we urgently need to see a return to a ceasefire and a rapid and unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and I continue to press Israeli counterparts on this.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-17 conversation_245

Ben Lake:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that Máire ní Mhurchú has access to legal representation following her detention by Israel. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We were in contact with the Irish embassy about the case, and we understand that she has since left Israel.