theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Ian Byrne:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of people waiting longer than 18 weeks for treatment for (a) wet macular degeneration and (b) glaucoma in (i) England, (ii) Merseyside and (iii) Liverpool. \p Stephen Kinnock: The classification codes required to identify pathways where patients may have glaucoma or macular degeneration do not allow for distinction between the two conditions. The following table provides an estimate of the number of patients who have been waiting longer than 18 weeks for treatment specifically for wet macular degeneration and glaucoma in England, Merseyside, and Liverpool, via the latter’s integrated care boards (ICBs), as a snapshot for the week ending 27 April 2025, extracted on 8 May 2025:

Condition

England

Cheshire and Merseyside ICB

NHS Liverpool Sub ICB

Glaucoma or macular degeneration

782

41

2

Source: Waiting List Minimum Data Set, NHS England.

However, these figures may include patients that also have other conditions, as full coding for glaucoma and macular degeneration procedures requires diagnostic codes that are not available in the Waiting List Minimum Data Set.
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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how patient feedback is incorporated into the (a) evaluation and (b) refinement of primary care network toolkits. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Primary Care Network (PCN) Estates Toolkit was developed as a practical support tool, to provide PCNs with a flexible framework and to support the process for producing robust primary care investment plans with priorities that align to integrated care systems strategies. The toolkit does not include metrics or patient feedback and therefore we are unable to comment on their effectiveness in this regard.
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Gill Furniss:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of support for women in making informed choices about (a) hormonal and (b) non-hormonal treatment options for (i) menstrual and (ii) reproductive health. \p Karin Smyth: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Claire Young:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support financially disadvantaged people to access private dental services in areas where NHS service are not readily available. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards across England.

NHS dentists can offer private treatments in addition to NHS services. Dentists must make clear which treatments can be provided on the NHS and which can only be provided on a private basis, and the costs associated for each. The Government does not control the cost of private dental or orthodontic treatment and patients cannot claim back the expense from the NHS.

Free NHS dental care is available for patients who qualify for certain exemptions. Support is also available through the NHS Low Income Scheme for those patients who are not eligible for exemption or full remission of dental patient charges. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/who-is-entitled-to-free-nhs-dental-treatment-in-england/
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of implementing new caps on clinical pathway consultations on Pharmacy First from April 2025. \p Stephen Kinnock: Caps on Pharmacy First clinical pathway consultations were first introduced in April 2024. In October 2024, the methodology used to calculate clinical pathway caps changed to be based on actual delivery, and from April 2025 caps will be calculated monthly instead of quarterly.

As part of the 2024/25 and 2025/26 Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework, we have agreed to maintain the current cost control mechanism linked to Pharmacy First, which will manage the growth of the service to ensure delivery remains within the agreed funding envelope. This methodology has been designed to ensure fair and consistent access for all contractors. Any underspend, where caps are not met, will be redistributed and moved into subsequent months.
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 44003 on NHS England, when the next meeting between Ministers and the new executive team in NHS England is planned. \p Karin Smyth: Ministers and senior Department officials are working closely with the new NHS England executive team on the creation of a new centre and to ensure delivery is prioritised and protected during this period of change.

Ministers meet regularly with members of the new NHS England executive team on a range of topics.
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Mark Pritchard:To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England plans to take to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. \p Marsha De Cordova: In a paper for the February 2025 sitting of the General Synod of the Church of England, the Liturgical Commission wrote:

“The Nicene Creed is one of the most significant, universally recognized and definitively authoritative statements of Christian faith, originating from the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD and later expanded at the First Council of Constantinople in 381 AD. It encapsulates the trinitarian shape of Christian believing, provides a comprehensive summary of the faith of the Church, and has been a central part of Christian worship for centuries”.

In its paper the Commission reminded the Church of England of the historic position of the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed in its worship, commended its frequent recitation in worship, and remarked on its helpfulness as a didactic aid. The paper can be found here: https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2025-01/gs-misc-1408-the-use-of-the-nicene-creed.pdf

The Church of England has produced resources to mark the 1700th anniversary. The publication 'We Believe: Exploring the Nicene Creed', is a series of 24 reflections on the words of the Nicene Creed, which will also be available on the Church of England’s daily devotional app, Everyday Faith, from the day after Trinity Sunday. Each reflection explores a portion of the Creed through the lens of a short Bible passage and a simple reflection, accompanied by a treasury of prayers. These reflections will form a centrepiece of the Church of England’s contribution to this year’s celebrations, as well as providing a lasting resource for Christian education and formation.

More information is available here: https://www.chpublishing.co.uk/books/9781781405154/we-believe-single-copy

The Ecclesiastical Law Society is hosting a conference in Chichester in June on ‘Nicaea Received: 1700 Years of Canons, Councils and Ecumenism’, which will be attended by the Archbishop of York and will feature speakers that include His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

As part of its regular series of events and lectures, Westminster Abbey is hosting a symposium in November on the Council of Nicaea and its influence.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many sickle cell patients have died due to complications due to sickle cell in the last 12 months. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold this information. NHS England does not hold or have access to data that would accurately represent the number of sickle cell patients that have died due to complications due to sickle cell disorder (SCD) in the last 12 months

The National Disease Registration Service, part of NHS England, is expanding its rare disease collection to include patients with SCD in England. This will form a comprehensive national dataset to enable improved understanding of patient pathways for SCD, support planning and commissioning of services and improve patient outcomes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-30)

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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many sickle cell patients who had complications due to sickle cell listed as their cause of death experienced haemolysis in the period before their death in the last 12 months. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department does not hold this information. NHS England does not hold or have access to data that would accurately represent the number of sickle cell patients that have died due to complications due to sickle cell in the last 12 months, or how many of those patients experienced haemolysis in the period before their death in the last 12 months.

The National Disease Registration Service, part of NHS England, is expanding its rare disease collection to include patients with sickle cell disorder (SCD) in England. This will form a comprehensive national dataset to enable improved understanding of patient pathways for SCD, support planning and commissioning of services and improve patient outcomes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-30)

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Mims Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to consult (a) the Maternity Safety Alliance and (b) other bereaved families’ groups as part of the national maternity review. \p Karin Smyth: On 23 June 2025, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced an independent investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal services to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies and families experience unacceptable care.

He has held a series of meetings with harmed and bereaved families from across the country, and has committed to ensuring the voices of women and families are at the heart of improving standards.

On 14 August 2025, he announced the appointment of Baroness Amos as Chair of the Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. Baroness Amos was selected after feedback from bereaved families who expressed a preference for someone with distance from the NHS.

Baroness Amos’ investigation will put families at the heart of the work and affected families were asked to provide input to the draft terms of reference of the investigation. These have been developed to focus on understanding the experiences of affected women and families, identifying lessons learned and driving the improvements needed to ensure high quality and safe maternity and neonatal care across England.

The Government is also establishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to be made up of a panel of experts and family, charity and staff representatives.

The taskforce will use the recommendations from the independent investigation to develop a national plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care, and will work closely with families in developing the action plan, ensuring their voices are central to this work.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the potential impact of supervised drug consumption facilities on (a) crime and (b) health. \p Ashley Dalton: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has not discussed the potential impact of supervised drug consumption facilities on crime and health with my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

The Government will continue to promote preventative public health measures to support people to live longer and healthier lives, and we are committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug problem can access the help and support they need.
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Jim Dickson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help raise awareness among young people of the risks of sudden cardiac death. \p Ashley Dalton: To reduce the risks of sudden cardiac death, NHS England has a published a national service specification for inherited cardiac conditions that covers patients who often present as young adults with previously undiagnosed cardiac disease or families requiring follow-up due to a death from this cause. This describes the service model and guidance that should be followed to support diagnosis and treatment of patients or family members. It also includes the requirement for specialised inherited cardiac conditions services to investigate suspected cases.

NHS England is currently reviewing this service specification in line with the national service specification methods review process. NHS England is working with a broad range of stakeholders as part of this review including National Health Service clinical experts, the Association of Inherited Cardiac Conditions, Cardiomyopathy UK, Heart Valve Voice and the British Heart Foundation.

Genomics has an important role to play in diagnosing and supporting the treatment and management of several cardiac conditions. The National Genomic Test Directory sets out the eligibility criteria for patients to access testing as well as the genomic targets to be tested and the method that should be used and this includes genomic testing for a number of conditions which affect the heart, including, for example, testing for familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), cardiomyopathies, long QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome and others. The directory is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-genomic-test-directories/
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-30)

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Josh Fenton-Glynn:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing funding for (a) vaccines and (b) the wider medtech sector in the context of the US Government’s decision on mRNA vaccine research. \p Ashley Dalton: Vaccines are an important tool for preventing and lessening the impacts of disease. The Department invests in vaccine research through several routes, targeting interventions in areas essential for health resilience, such as mRNA vaccine technology. For instance, the Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which includes the UK Vaccine Innovation Pathway to support the rapid set up and delivery of clinical trials in the United Kingdom, including the UK’s first norovirus mRNA vaccine trial. The Department also established the Official Development Assistance-funded UK Vaccine Network Project in 2015 and has funded the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations since 2018.

More widely, the Government is partnering with industry to drive forward mRNA vaccine research and development. Through its ten-year strategic partnership with the Government, signed in 2022, Moderna will invest over £1 billion in mRNA research and development in the UK, strengthening the UK's vaccine manufacturing capacity through construction of the Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre. Additionally, the Government's strategic partnership with BioNTech will see 10,000 National Health Service patients provided with personalised cancer immunotherapies, including mRNA cancer vaccines, by 2030, ensuring that UK patients have early access to these innovative new treatments.

Supporting research into vaccines is critical to improving pandemic preparedness and delivering the global 100 Days Mission, which the UK has supported since its establishment. The mission aims to have safe and effective diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines available and equitably accessible in the first 100 days of a pandemic threat being identified. The £520 million Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund backs UK manufacturing and will bring globally mobile manufacturing investments, including vaccines and medical technology (MedTech), to the UK, strengthening the UK’s economy and generating high-skill, high-wage jobs.

The Government is also committed to supporting the MedTech industry, which is a central pillar in the UK’s life sciences sector and will help build an NHS that is fit for the future. The Government has recently set out its plans for life sciences in the 10-Year Health Plan and the Life Sciences Sector Plan, which includes enhancing support for MedTech small and medium-sized enterprises through UK Research and Innovation and NIHR.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to support early access to clinical trials for patients with rare cancers. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, life-saving treatments, including those with rare cancers.

We are also working to fast track clinical trials to drive global investment into life sciences, to improve health outcomes and to accelerate the development of medicines and therapies of the future, including for rare cancers.

The Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million across 2023/24, reflecting their high priority.

The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients across the country, including patients with rare cancers. It will ensure that more patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and to clinical trials.

The Government also supports the Rare Cancers Bill and its ambitions to incentivise clinical trials and access to innovative treatments for rare cancers.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-30)

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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to help improve access to life-extending (a) treatments and (b) medicines for patients with incurable secondary breast cancer in Mid Bedfordshire constituency. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department remains committed to reducing waiting times for cancer treatment and to improving access to treatment across England, including for patients with incurable secondary breast cancer in the Mid Bedfordshire constituency.

We have now exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, having now delivered over four million more appointments as the first step to ensuring earlier and faster access to treatment.

In May 2025, NHS England announced the world’s first roll out of liquid biopsy testing, which is now available for all eligible breast cancer patients, and which aims to speed up diagnosis and inform better treatment options for those with breast cancer.

The National Cancer Plan for England will be published later this year and will set out further details on how we will improve outcomes for all cancer patients, including those with secondary breast cancer. The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and aftercare.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2025 to Question 68534 on Members: Correspondence, when the hon. Member will receive a reply to the correspondence with reference MW07790. \p Ian Murray: A response was sent to the Honourable Member on 25 September 2025. I apologise for the delay.
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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the potential savings from the introduction of the £25,000 annual cap on grants under the Listed Places of Worship Scheme. \p Ian Murray: In January this government announced that we would extend the Listed Places of Worship Scheme for one year with an overall budget of £23 million, coming into effect from April 2025. Previous to that the budget for the scheme was up to £42 million, with an average spend of £29 million per year between 2017 and 2024. However, to ensure the £23 million budget remains affordable, claims are now capped at £25,000 per place of worship.

This means there is a saving of approximately £6m per year.
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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Church Commissioners on extending the spending cap on the Listed Places of Worship scheme after 2026. \p Ian Murray: The future of the grant scheme funding after March 2026 will be considered as we work through the results of the Spending Review and Departmental business planning process.

The Department has had various meetings with representatives of the Church and other stakeholders on the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. In June 2025, the Heritage Minister met church leaders including Marsha de Cordova MP, who is the Second Church Estates Commissioner.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will make additional resources available to the ICC. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK is a strong supporter of an effective and independent International Criminal Court (ICC) . This year we are providing support of £13.6 million to the ICC's annual (2025) budget. At present we have no plans to make additional resources available to the ICC.
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Sorcha Eastwood:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his UN counterparts on the potential merits of creating a UN Convention on the rights of older persons. \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. We are open in principle to the idea of a multilateral instrument dedicated to the human rights of older people and will continue to play a constructive role in discussions on this issue at the UN and other relevant fora. UK officials continue to discuss the issue with international counterparts.
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Abtisam Mohamed:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support a UN Convention on the rights of Older Persons. \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. We are open in principle to the idea of a multilateral instrument dedicated to the human rights of older people and will continue to play a constructive role in discussions on this issue at the UN and other relevant fora.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his planned timetable is for the transferring of sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. \p Stephen Doughty: A timetable for the transfer of sovereignty will be among details of the proposed treaty, which will be laid before Parliament following signature.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date the new US Administration began formal consideration of the proposed treaty with Mauritius. \p Stephen Doughty: We shared the proposed treaty with the new US Administration. Internal processes for the US Administration are for them to speak to.
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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 international counterparts on the development of a UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons. \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. We are open in principle to the idea of a multilateral instrument dedicated to the human rights of older people and will continue to play a constructive role in discussions on this issue at the UN and other relevant fora.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

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Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what reasons the Government started negotiations with Mauritius on the future sovereignty of the Chagos Islands. \p Stephen Doughty: Negotiations were started by the previous Conservative Government.
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Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether financial payments made as part of the proposed agreement between the UK and Mauritius agreement on the British Indian Ocean Territory would be subject to an inflationary escalator. \p Stephen Doughty: As made clear in the 3 October joint political declaration, the UK will make an indexed annual payment to Mauritius as part of its package of financial support.
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Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his (a) American, (b) European Union and (c) NATO counterparts on the DeepSeek artificial intelligence model. \p Stephen Doughty: We maintain regular dialogue with our international partners on all aspects of policy including the emergence of new technologies.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

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Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to his (a) French and (b) Spanish counterpart on long-stay visas for UK citizens who need to spend more than 90 days within a given 180-day period in those countries. \p Stephen Doughty: The Government recognises that our partnerships are strengthened when our citizens legally live in, work in, and visit our respective countries. My officials and I regularly engage our French and Spanish counterparts on a range of issues affecting UK nationals, including on visa matters. Whilst the Government recognises frustrations around accessing long-stay visas in some countries, this is ultimately a matter for national governments and parliaments.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for UK foreign policy of potential irregularities in the recent elections in Belarus. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK condemns the sham presidential election in Belarus on 26 January. In a joint statement alongside Australia, Canada, the EU and New Zealand, the UK denounced the election and called for fresh elections which meet international standards.

The UK will continue to work with likeminded partners to call out the regime's violations of fundamental human rights and hold those responsible to account.

We, alongside our partners, will continue to support civil society and human rights in the face of ongoing political pressure and support the aspirations of the Belarusian people for a free, democratic, and independent Belarus.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Belarusian counterpart on the release of political prisoners. \p Stephen Doughty: Despite the pardoning of over 250 political prisoners since July 2024, arrests and political repression continue and more than 1,200 political prisoners remain unjustly detained.

We continue to take every opportunity, both publicly and privately, to urge the Belarusian regime to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners and protect the human rights of its citizens. This includes actively raising the issue of political prisoners at the UN and the OSCE.
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Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of negotiating a reciprocal agreement with his Spanish counterpart to allow British citizens with properties in Spain to spend up to six months in Spain each year. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides for visa-free travel for short-term visits for each other's nationals. British citizens can travel visa-free and stay for up to 90 days in a rolling 180-day period, in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code. This is the standard length of stay that the EU offers to third countries travelling visa-free. Whilst the UK government remains supportive of any Member State changes to their domestic visa system that benefits UK Nationals living in and traveling to EU Member States, it is for Member State governments to decide the rules.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Canadian counterparts on recent tariffs applied to that country by the US. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign Secretary speaks regularly with Canadian Foreign Minister Joly, most recently on 28 January, where they discussed a range of bilateral and global issues. Canada is one of our closest allies, underpinned by a broad trade and investment relationship which we are committed to deepening further.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of sanctions relating to (a) finance, (b) trade, (c) aircraft, (d) shipping and (e) immigration on Belarus. \p Stephen Doughty: Sanctions are carefully targeted to increase pressure over time, and we regularly review our sanctions to maintain effectiveness and apply increasing pressure. We therefore reserve the right to introduce further measures so that the Lukashenko regime continues to feel the consequences for its lack of respect for human rights and support for Putin's war.

Although the UK nexus with the Belarusian economy is limited, the signalling impact of our sanctions on Belarus is and will remain important.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

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Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will ensure that (a) warrants requested by the International Criminal Court are prepared promptly and (b) he is aware of potential visits by individuals subject to International Criminal Court scrutiny. \p Stephen Doughty: We respect the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC) which is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern. There is a domestic legal process through our independent courts that determines whether to endorse an ICC arrest warrant in accordance with the UK's ICC Act 2001. The Government is unaware of any planned visits to the UK by individuals subject to ICC arrest warrants.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-17 conversation_17

Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the expected timeframe is between an ICC arrest warrant being issued and an arrest being made in the UK; and whether any preparatory legal or operational steps can be taken in advance of an individual's arrival in the UK to ensure immediate enforcement upon entry. \p Stephen Doughty: We respect the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC) which is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern. There is a domestic legal process through our independent courts that determines whether to endorse an ICC arrest warrant in accordance with the UK's ICC Act 2001. The process has not been used to date because the UK has never been visited by an individual subject to an ICC arrest warrant. An individual subject to an ICC arrest warrant must be in the UK for any arrest to be made. The Government is unaware of any planned visits to the UK by individuals subject to ICC arrest warrants.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-17 conversation_18

Jeremy Corbyn:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to participate in the UN study on the effects of nuclear war. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK voted against the United Nations General Assembly Resolution "Nuclear War Effects and Scientific Research", which proposed establishing an independent scientific panel on the effects of nuclear war, because the devastation that would be caused by nuclear war has been long understood. The UK questioned the benefit of further research in that area, which could not change our collective understanding of the horror of a nuclear war.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-17 conversation_19

Jeremy Corbyn:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what research his Department has undertaken on the consequences of nuclear war since the signature of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 1968. \p Stephen Doughty: The devastation that would be caused by nuclear war has been long understood and was written into the preamble of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1968. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's focus since then has therefore been on upholding the NPT and nuclear risk reduction.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-17 conversation_20

Mike Wood:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 23476 on USA: Diplomatic Service, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of Lord Mandelson's previous interests in relation to China. \p Stephen Doughty: There is an established mechanism in place for the management of interests held by all Senior Civil Servants. This ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any potential or perceived conflicts of interest. I can confirm that this mechanism applies in the usual way to Lord Mandelson's appointment. In line with guidance, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not publish declarations of interest.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-17 conversation_21

Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has received from his Mauritian counterpart since 15 January 2025. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign Secretary has received no direct representations from his Mauritian counterpart since 15 January.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-17 conversation_22

Sarah Champion:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to Answer of 6 February 2025 to Question 27260 on Gaza: Energy and Water Supply, if he will request that the funding supplied to the World Bank for the construction and restoration of critical energy and waste infrastructure in Gaza will be tendered to Gaza-owned construction companies. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: According to the World Bank's Procurement Regulations, eligible firms and individuals from all countries are allowed to offer goods, works, non-consulting services, and consulting services for Bank-financed projects globally. This means that suppliers or contractors based in Gaza have the same rights as those from other regions to participate in bids targeting Gaza.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-17 conversation_23

Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he made an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a national security impact assessment on the negotiated agreement with Mauritius on the Chagos Islands. \p Stephen Doughty: It has been our consistent priority to protect UK/US national security interests by ensuring the long-term effective and secure operation of the base on Diego Garcia. This agreement protects and secures those interests.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-17 conversation_24

Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make it his policy that the proposed leaseback for Diego Garcia is renewable. \p Stephen Doughty: The existing policy is, and will remain, that the agreement will have a duration of 99 years from entry into force, extendable with the agreement of both parties and the first right of refusal.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-17 conversation_25

Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of taking(a) legislative and (b) regulatory steps to prohibit UK (i) nationals, (ii) companies and (iii) financial institutions from conducting business (A) in and (B) with illegal Israeli settlements. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK Government considers Israeli settlements illegal under international law and goods produced in these settlements are not entitled to benefit from tariff and trade preferences under the UK's current trade agreements with the Palestinian Authority and Israel.

We support accurate labelling of settlement goods, so as not to mislead the consumer. We routinely update our guidance to British businesses on the Overseas Business Risk website and advise them to bear in mind the UK Government's view on the illegality of settlements under international law when considering their investments and activities in the region.

On 15 October, the Foreign Secretary announced new sanctions targeting three illegal settler outposts and four organisations that have supported and sponsored violence against communities in the West Bank. The Government does not comment on future sanctions measures, as to do so would reduce their impact.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-17 conversation_26

Ayoub Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his US counterpart on the revocation of sanctions against Israeli settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that decision on UK sanctions. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: As the Prime Minister said in the House on 22nd January, we are deeply concerned by what is happening in the West Bank. The Government continues to engage with the US at all levels on all our priorities, including security and stability in the Middle East. Sanctions are part of wider UK efforts to support a more stable West Bank and help bring accountability to those who have supported and perpetrated heinous abuses of human rights in the West Bank. Sanctions remain part of our broader political strategy and are designed to effect change, to pressurise, and send a clear signal regarding behaviours.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-17 conversation_27

Ayoub Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an estimate of the lives lost in Gaza since 7 October 2023. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Since October 2023, over 47,000 have been killed in Gaza and more than 90% of the population has been displaced, many people repeatedly so. Like many of our partners, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office uses United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) figures to report on daily casualties in the current Gaza conflict. OCHA draws on figures issued from the Gazan Ministry of Health (MoH), which collates information on casualty statistics using a health information system derived from eight major hospitals across Gaza.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-17 conversation_28

Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February to Question 25990 on Cabinet Office: British Indian Ocean Territory, if the will make it his policy to publish costs of the Prime Minister's Envoy before the conclusion of the agreement. \p Stephen Doughty: The publication of the costs of the Prime Minister's Envoy are part of wider policy on Ministerial Appointments and the decision is not contingent on the conclusion of the agreement. The timing of the decision will not therefore be linked to that of the agreement.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-17 conversation_29

Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the announcement of the appointment of an interim president in Syria; and whether he recognises that position as a Head of State. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: On 29 January, Ahmed Al-Sharaa was announced as Syrian President for a transitional period. We welcome Al Sharaa's announcement that he will form an inclusive transitional Government, leading to free and fair elections. This is a critical moment for Syria's transition and we will continue to judge Al Sharaa on his actions.