theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

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Kanishka Narayan:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of net migration; and what steps she is taking to reduce these. \p Seema Malhotra: Under the previous government, between 2019 and 2023, net migration more than quadrupled, driven by a big increase in overseas recruitment.

This Government has set out a new approach to end the over reliance on international recruitment and boost economic growth by linking the UK’s immigration, labour market, and skills systems and by training up our domestic workforce.

We have also commissioned the independent Migration Advisory Committee to review key sectors, and our long-term plan will see departments working together across government, partnering with agencies and experts, to build our skills base and reduce our reliance on migration.

Building on the Prime Minister’s speech on migration on 28 November 2024 - the Government will publish a White Paper later this year setting out measures to reduce net migration and link the points-based system with requirements for training in the UK.
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Marsha De Cordova:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take to reduce outcome waiting times for applications to the EU Settlement Scheme. \p Seema Malhotra: The Home Office seeks to process all applications to the EU Settlement Scheme as expeditiously as possible.

Details of the processing times can be found on the GOV.UK website (EU Settlement Scheme: current estimated processing times for applications - GOV.UK) which advises on expected processing times and common reasons an EUSS application may take longer to conclude.

It is over three years since the deadline to apply to the main scheme and the Home Office continues to make changes with the aim of improving the customer experience.

The Home Office is introducing a new process to automatically convert eligible pre-settled status holders to settled status without the need for them to make a further EUSS application. It is expected the first grants under this process will be issued in late January 2025.

Pre-settled status holders will not need to take any action and the Home Office will inform them if it is unable to convert them to settled status. The Home Office will undertake automated checks of pre-settled status holders against government-held information, for example in respect of their ongoing continuous residence in the UK. This reflects the assessment undertaken when the person first applied to the EUSS and will ensure their eligibility for settled status is thoroughly considered before it is granted.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

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Sorcha Eastwood:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to create a visa scheme for Palestinians that is similar to the Ukraine Family Scheme. \p Seema Malhotra: Immediate family members of British citizens, and those settled in the UK, who wish to come and live in the UK and do not have a current UK visa can apply under one of the existing family visa routes. There are no plans to create a bespoke family reunion scheme at this stage.

Further details are available here: https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa.

We will accept applications, which would normally have to be made in the country where the person is living, at any of the UK’s Visa Application Centres.

Visa Application Centres are open and operating in Egypt, in both Cairo and Alexandria, and Amman in Jordan.

The FCDO is also providing consular assistance to those with British nationality, or dual nationality including British, who are in Gaza or who have left Gaza to a third country. Dual national British-Palestinians are not required to make a visa application as they have the right of abode in the UK. Our embassy staff are ready to provide support as appropriate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to increase recruitment of firefighters in (a) Lincolnshire and (b) other rural areas. \p Dame Diana Johnson: While the Government is committed to ensuring fire and rescue services have the resources they need to do their important work, is it individual fire and rescue authorities that are responsible for recruitment and decisions around deployment of resources.

Overall, fire and rescue authorities will receive around £2.87 billion in 2024/25. Standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities will see an increase in core spending power of £53.3m in 2025/26; this is an increase of 3 per cent in cash terms compared to 2024/25.
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Mark Pritchard:To ask the Secretary of State for Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to make it a criminal offence to create fake online media accounts for public bodies and organisations where the communication of official and public information is necessary for civic order and resilience. \p Dan Jarvis: Under the Online Safety Act, all services in scope must tackle illegal content and activity which enables fraud, including activity through fake and anonymous accounts. The illegal harms duties will come into force in Spring 2025.

More broadly, government departments and agencies continually seek to identify malicious websites that intend to impersonate public sector bodies and enable fraudulent activity. Those creating such websites may be liable for prosecution for fraud or computer misuse offences.

Domain registrars, Internet infrastructure (IIPs) and service providers (ISPs) operate robust voluntary arrangements for filtering, blocking and takedown of malicious websites, which is supported by the operational work of our agencies and law enforcement. NCSC also works in collaboration with industry partners to present ISPs with real-time threat data that enables them to instantly block access to known fraudulent or malicious websites. This has a major impact in protecting citizens from cyber- and cyber-facilitated crimes.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the UK is the safest place to live and work online. It is essential that the UK has the right legislative framework to allow us to tackle the harms posed to our citizens, businesses, and government services online.
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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress she has made on launching an inquiry into the events at Orgreave during the miners strike. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Secretary and the Minister of State for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention have met with the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, and the Home Office is developing plans to deliver on the Government’s manifesto commitment to ensure, through an investigation or inquiry, that the truth about the events at Orgreave comes to light.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Foreign Secretary has had discussions with his Israeli counterpart on the International Criminal court arrest warrant. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Foreign Secretary has visited Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories three times since taking office. During those visits, in engagement with his Israeli counterpart, he has been focused on pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza, to protect civilians, ensure the release of all hostages, and secure an increase in humanitarian aid into Gaza, as well as supporting Israel's security and regional challenges. We have been clear that the UK respects the independence of the International Criminal Court.
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Blair McDougall:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Israeli counterpart on the case of Habiba Al Askari. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The case of Habiba Al Askari is tragic and underlines why we need to see more medical evacuation routes open during the first phase of the ceasefire. While we have not discussed this individual case with Israel, we engage routinely on the importance of addressing health needs within Gaza and enabling medical evacuations for all patients needing medical care not available in Gaza.

The UK has announced £1 million for the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, delivered through World Health Organization Egypt, to support medically evacuated Palestinians from Gaza. The UK is also supporting provision of essential healthcare to Palestinians including funding UK-Med to operate field hospitals in Gaza, where they have established an operating theatre and an emergency department for urgent care.
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Mary Glindon:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to (a) humanitarian organisations and (b) his Israeli counterpart on the expedition of Habiba Al Askari's medical evacuation from Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The case of Habiba Al Askari is tragic and underlines why we need to see more medical evacuation routes open during the first phase of the ceasefire. While we have not discussed this individual case with Israel, we engage routinely on the importance of addressing health needs within Gaza and enabling medical evacuations for all patients needing medical care not available in Gaza.

The UK has announced £1 million for the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, delivered through World Health Organization Egypt, to support medically evacuated Palestinians from Gaza. The UK is also supporting provision of essential healthcare to Palestinians including funding UK-Med to operate field hospitals in Gaza, where they have established an operating theatre and an emergency department for urgent care.
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Jake Richards:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) support and (b) help secure the early release of Marcus Fakana. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Supporting the welfare of British nationals detained overseas is a priority for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The FCDO cannot interfere in the judicial affairs of other countries, however where there are concerns that an individual's welfare needs are not being met, with their consent, we will raise this with the relevant authorities. We are unable to provide comment on the detail of individual consular cases in line with relevant UK data protection legislation: [https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-development-office/about/personal-information-charter].
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to improve coordination with local governments to expedite consular processes for British citizens. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The FCDO provides tailored consular assistance to more than 20,000 British nationals abroad in new cases every year and supports an additional c. 8,000 involved in long-running cases. In FY 2022/23 this included support to c. 4,000 arrested or detained British nationals, c.3,500 who were hospitalised and c.1,300 who were victims of crime. Consular staff also supported the families of c.4,900 who died overseas. Consular staff are contactable 24/7, 365 days a year. Staff across the FCDO network invest continually in relationships with governments, local authorities and third-party organisations around the world to enable the FCDO to support the UK's international priorities, including support for British nationals overseas.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to provide more effective support through (a) embassies and (b) consulates to UK nationals during crises abroad. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: FCDO consular assistance is available 24/7, 365 days a year. We have improved the ability to expand our enquiry handling during a crisis through new digital telephony and AI tools.

Whenever a major incident happens overseas and a crisis evolves that affects British nationals - a natural disaster or extreme weather event, a large-scale accident, civil unrest, terrorism or conflict - the FCDO flex and scale our consular response to support those who are directly affected. If a cross Whitehall response is required, the FCDO will lead and coordinate the UK Governments effort, this might include coordinating an assisted departure or an evacuation (as a last resort).

The FCDO is committed to learning lessons from past crises and completes a lessons-learned exercise after every crisis response. These lessons enable the FCDO to improve processes and systems, and to review what has worked to enable better preparation and mitigation of future crises. The lessons are also implemented into the continuous training offer available to FCDO staff.
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Blair McDougall:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support British citizens who have experienced trauma due to events in Gaza and Israel since October 2023. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We welcome the announcement of an agreement to end the fighting in Gaza. We have continually pressed for a resolution to secure a ceasefire and see the return of hostages. We welcome the release of seven hostages in Gaza, including British national Emily Damari, and thank Qatar, Egypt and the US for their support in bringing these individuals' and their families' horrific ordeal to an end. We are clear the agreement must be implemented in full with all hostages returned. We continue to support families who have been bereaved through the October 7 attacks. The Foreign Secretary has met with or spoken to all families of UK and UK-linked hostages cruelly detained by Hamas and has heard first-hand the suffering those families have endured, most recently on 13 January. A team of experts from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are providing ongoing support to family members in the UK and Israel. The UK Government has additionally supported 505 British nationals and eligible persons to leave Gaza since October 2023.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government has plans to provide financial support to (a) local women-led initiatives and (b) community groups in Afghanistan. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: In 2024/2025, we are providing £161 million for humanitarian and essential services support to the most vulnerable and marginalised Afghans, through trusted non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and UN agencies. We are committed that at least 50 percent of people reached with UK aid in Afghanistan will be women and girls. Through our contribution to the World Bank led Afghanistan Resilience Trust Fund (ARTF), we have supported a $20 million project of support to Afghanistan civil society. The project has supported NGOs and civil society organisations (CSOs) that improve basic service delivery and promote socio-economic empowerment of women and girls, including 100 women-led organisations.
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Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the level of violence against Palestinian communities in the Occupied West Bank carried out by (a) Israeli settlers and (b) the Israeli military. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: As the Prime Minister said in the House on 22 January, we are deeply concerned by what is happening in the West Bank. We have raised this a number of times in the various exchanges that we have had with Israel at both ministerial and official level. It is in no one's interest for further conflict and instability to spread in the West Bank. The risk of instability is serious and the need for de-escalation urgent. We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions. We are clear that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law and harm prospects for a two-state solution. The UK strongly condemns settler violence. 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. These measures will help bring accountability to those who have supported and perpetrated such heinous abuses of human rights.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support sexual and reproductive health and rights for women and girls in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: This ceasefire provides a real opportunity now to halt the suffering in Gaza and the UK is doing all it can to support a sustained surge of aid, including to meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of women and girls. The UK has already announced £112 million of assistance this financial year for the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Palestinian refugees in the region. Additionally, £4.25 million of UK assistance to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has supported UNFPA to distribute reproductive health kits and midwifery kits across Gaza.
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Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his international counterparts on taking steps to protect Palestinians in (a) the occupied West Bank and (b) East Jerusalem. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Stability in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is crucial to ensure that the fragile ceasefire in Gaza can last. The UK will continue to work with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, the US and regional partners to build consensus for a post-conflict Gaza governance and security framework that supports conditions for a permanent and sustainable peace.

The ceasefire marks the first step in ensuring long-term peace and security for Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region, bringing much-needed stability. Our attention must turn to how we secure a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people - grounded in a two-state solution that will guarantee security and stability for Israel, alongside a sovereign and viable Palestine state.
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Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Egyptian counterpart on the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister most recently during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, in which regional bilateral programmes he plans to make efficiency savings. \p Anneliese Dodds: The FCDO is finalising Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations for 2024/25, and these will be published in the coming weeks. It is right that as a new Government we carefully consider the indicative budgets set by the previous Government.

Ministers will consider how to allocate the FCDO's ODA budget for 2025/26 over the coming months ahead of publication in the Annual Report and Accounts in summer 2025.
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Helena Dollimore:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department spent on (a) media and (b) voice training for Ministers between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024. \p Catherine West: The requested information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. No money has been spent on voice training for Ministers.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his (a) Guyanese, (b) Colombian and (c) Brazilian counterparts on trends in the number of refugees travelling to those countries from Venezuela. \p Catherine West: The UK remains concerned at the deteriorating situation in Venezuela and the high numbers of Venezuelans who continue to leave the country. The Foreign Secretary regularly discusses the situation in Venezuela with international partners including recently with Brazil, Colombia and Guyana. The UK is a longstanding partner of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which provides life-saving assistance to displaced persons, including refugees from Venezuela.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with representatives from the (a) Community of Latin American and Caribbean States and (b) Organization of American States on alleged reports of election fraud in Venezuela. \p Catherine West: We remain deeply concerned about allegations of serious irregularities in the declared election result in Venezuela, and regularly discuss this issue with international partners, including the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and Organization of American States (OAS) members. We have made a number of public statements on the credibility of the election results, including at the Special Session of the OAS Permanent Council in August. On 10 January the Foreign Secretary stated that Maduro's claim to power was fraudulent and announced new sanctions designations against members of the Maduro regime.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK announces new sanctions targeting Nicolás Maduro’s regime in Venezuela, published on 10 January 2025, whether the travel restrictions will be applicable in the British Overseas Territories. \p Catherine West: On 10 January, the UK sanctioned 15 new individuals associated with Maduro's contested regime responsible for undermining democracy and committing serious human rights violations. It is Government policy for all UK sanctions, including travel bans, to also apply in the Overseas Territories.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Argentinian counterpart. \p Catherine West: UK Ministers and officials maintain regular contact with their Argentine counterparts, discussing a range of issues of bilateral importance, including economic growth, support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, and the South Atlantic. The Foreign Secretary last had a substantial conversation with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein, on 29 November 2024.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the level of persecution of Christians in North Korea. \p Catherine West: The UK is deeply concerned by reports from North Korean escapees, which tell of serious human rights offences and persecution of those who are caught practising religion. It is unacceptable that citizens face surveillance, imprisonment or even death because of their religion or belief. We will continue to raise human rights issues in all relevant meetings with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) officials through multilateral and bilateral channels. Following the DPRK's Universal Period review in November 2024 in which the UK raised the issue of freedom of religion, we remain committed to engaging with the DPRK on their approach to human rights.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what preparations his Department is making for the Nutrition For Growth Summit in Paris in 2025. \p Anneliese Dodds: The FCDO is looking forward to the 2025 Nutrition for Growth summit. FCDO officials have been working closely with French counterparts to build momentum in the lead up to the summit. The UK continues to champion the integration of improved nutrition outcomes alongside successes in other sectors - health, agriculture, humanitarian, and climate.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to reduce the amount of Overseas Development Assistance spent on in-donor refugee costs. \p Anneliese Dodds: We will use our development spending to achieve better outcomes as part of a coherent international approach, with a strong focus on poverty reduction and accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Home Secretary is committed to ensuring asylum costs fall and has already acted. This includes taking measures to reduce the asylum backlog and end the use of expensive hotels. We expect these plans to create more space in the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget to spend on our international development priorities overseas. The first meeting of the re-established ODA Board, chaired by myself and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, will focus on in-donor refugee costs.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans he has to publish the independent development review. \p Anneliese Dodds: The report is in the form of unpublished independent advice to the Foreign Secretary. A decision on how best to communicate the independent reviews' findings will be taken in due course by the Foreign Secretary.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions the Minister for Development has had with Baroness Shafik during the independent development review. \p Anneliese Dodds: I have been in communication with Baroness Shafik throughout the review, including discussing review findings.
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Shaun Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question 15510 on Ghana: Treaties, whether his Department holds any record (a) of a treaty ceding Akwamu to the Gold Coast Colony signed in 1886 and (b) the ratification of any such treaty. \p Anneliese Dodds: UK Treaties Online (UKTO) provides a record of treaties, with links to texts of command papers published in the UK Treaty Series from 1892. We do not hold any UKTO record of the treaty referred to in this question or Question 15510 on Ghana:Treaties. However, information relating to treaties, including historic treaties for which there is no UKTO record, may be held by The National Archives (TNA), as in this case. Since the Answer of 3 December 2024, we have been provided with a copy of relevant information held by TNA in the context of a Freedom of Information request. Based on this information, we have carried out further research and identified a brief excerpt of a treaty concluded in 1886 "between the Governor of the Gold Coast and the King and people of Aquamoo" in The Map of Africa by Treaty (3rd ed.), printed by His Majesty's Stationery Office in 1909. Neither TNA information nor the book excerpt contains any information about ratification.
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Jessica Morden:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to countries providing (a) financial support and (b) military equipment to the groups engaged in the conflict in Sudan. \p Anneliese Dodds: The Foreign Secretary regularly raises the Sudan conflict with his international counterparts. We have regularly condemned, including in the UN Security Council, the flow of external arms into Sudan and urged those who have influence over the parties to use it to bring them to the negotiating table to seek a political resolution to the conflict.
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Stephen Gethins:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on helping to ensure the warring parties in Sudan comply with (a) the Jeddah Declaration and (b) their obligations under international humanitarian law. \p Anneliese Dodds: The Foreign Secretary has engaged with international partners on the importance of holding the warring parties accountable to international humanitarian law and the commitments they made in Jeddah to allow humanitarian access and ensure the protection of civilians. As penholder at the UN Security Council and leader of the Core Group on Sudan at the UN Human Rights Council, the UK has consistently condemned reported international humanitarian and human rights law violations. The UK Special Representative to Sudan, Richard Crowder, pressed for a resolution to the conflict and for all parties to comply with the Jeddah Declaration when he visited Port Sudan in December - the UK's first official visit to the country since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023. In November 2024, the UK co-led a protection of civilians resolution at the UN Security Council with Sierra Leone, which called on parties to the conflict to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law and for compliance with the Jeddah Declaration. This received unanimous Council support, apart from Russia who chose to veto it.
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Stephen Gethins:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to use diplomatic ties with (a) Turkey, (b) Qatar and (c) other countries in the region to advance humanitarian efforts in Sudan. \p Anneliese Dodds: The UK continues to use diplomatic ties with Qatar and other regional partners to advance humanitarian efforts in Sudan. The Foreign Secretary met with the Qatari PM Sheikh Mohammed on 7 November and discussed the dire humanitarian situation. The Foreign Secretary has also had bilateral meetings with countries in the region to advance humanitarian access including: the Saudi Foreign Minister; the Sierra Leonean Foreign Minister and the UAE Foreign Minister. The Foreign Secretary has also engaged with the region in multilateral fora, such as a roundtable he hosted during the UK's UN Security Council presidency in November, with African Union, Algeria and Egypt in attendance. Here he urged states to use their influence with the warring parties to push for improved humanitarian access in Sudan. In November 2024, the UK co-led a protection of civilians resolution at the UN Security Council with Sierra Leone, which also called for parties to the conflict to agree humanitarian pauses, and ensure the delivery of adequate humanitarian aid. This received unanimous Council support, apart from Russia who chose to veto it.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

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Mrs Sureena Brackenridge:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help promote human rights in Guinea. \p Anneliese Dodds: The UK is committed to supporting efforts to promote and protect human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Guinea. We raise human rights issues of concern with the Guinean authorities and provide programme support to local partners, particularly on the rights of women and girls.

The UK is clear about the importance of a return to constitutional order, maintaining good governance and ensuring the rule of law in Guinea. The Minister for Africa discussed this recently with Guinea's Minister for Planning and International Cooperation. We will continue to urge the Government of Guinea to guarantee the rights of all people in Guinea in accordance with its constitution and international standards.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_225

Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to work towards (a) a ceasefire and (b) an end to the conflict in Sudan. \p Anneliese Dodds: The UK is actively working towards ending the conflict in Sudan. The Foreign Secretary has spoken with regional partners to explore how the UK can assist international mediation efforts. Richard Crowder, UK Special Representative to Sudan, visited Port Sudan in December 2024 - the UK's first official visit to the county since outbreak of conflict in April 2023. He pressed for a resolution to the conflict, and for all parties to engage constructively in mediation talks, including by complying with the Jeddah Declaration of Commitments to Protect Civilians. We also continue to lead efforts in the UN Security Council to support peace and to keep international spotlight on this crisis.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_226

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the fall of Bashar al-Assad on the trafficking of (a) British and (b) other (i) women and (ii) children by Islamic State. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: As the present situation in Syria unfolds, we are working closely with partners to monitor Daesh activity and prevent them from exploiting the current instability, including through our work with the Global Coalition Against Daesh. Daesh's ability to direct, enable and inspire attacks is one of the most significant global terrorist threats, including to the UK, our people, and our interests overseas.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_227

Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will increase multi-year funding to support (a) the most food-insecure people in Sudan and (b) Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries. \p Anneliese Dodds: Ministers will consider Official Development Assistance allocations for 2025/26 over the coming months, and we will publish them in the Annual Report & Accounts in summer 2025. The next phase of the Spending Review will set departmental budgets from 2026/27 to 2029/30.

In November 2024, the UK announced a further £113 million of aid. With this announcement, the UK has doubled our aid to £226.5 million.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_228

Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to help secure guarantees from Sudan’s warring parties of the safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected populations. \p Anneliese Dodds: The UK continues to raise the critical issue of humanitarian access. We did this recently at the UN Security Council on 19 December 2024 and 6 January 2025, where we called for the warring parties to lift bureaucratic impediments and let aid get to those who need it. I have also engaged directly with the new Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, on the UN response. The UK Special Representative, Richard Crowder, met the head of the Sudanese Armed Forces, General Burhan, during his first visit to Sudan and lobbied against current impediments such as visas. On 25 November 2024, the Foreign Secretary chaired a Sudan meeting with G7 and Arab Quint Foreign Ministers to discuss joint steps to improve humanitarian access and increase aid.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_229

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help de-escalate violence against Christians in Nigeria. \p Anneliese Dodds: The UK Government is committed to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). We do this through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora as well as raising FoRB bilaterally with the Government of Nigeria and other influential parties. This includes advocating for the protections of all vulnerable communities including religious minorities. The UK also supports programmes working to address the complex root causes of intercommunal violence in Nigeria through locally led peace-building efforts. This support aims to reduce intercommunal tensions by improving access to security and justice, and natural resource management in specific areas across northern Nigeria. In addition, the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) works with Nigeria's security forces to tackle violence against all civilian communities, including those of different religious backgrounds and beliefs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_230

Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help negotiate a ceasefire in the West Bank. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The risk of rising instability in the West Bank is serious, and the need for de-escalation urgent. The UK has been clear that it is in no-one's interest for further conflict and instability to spread in the West Bank. We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions. Settler violence is unacceptable, and the UK continues to urge the Israeli government to act to stop settler violence. We continue to raise violence in the West Bank with Israeli counterparts. As the Foreign Secretary said in his statement on 15 January, much remains to be done - to implement all phases of the deal in full and establish a pathway to lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_231

Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2025 to Question 902156 on Palestinians: Sovereignty, whether he has a planned timetable for recognising a Palestinian state. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The ceasefire marks the first step in ensuring long-term peace and security for Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region, bringing much-needed stability. Our attention must turn to how we secure a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people. Palestinians must be given a credible route to a Palestinian state, which is the right of the Palestinian people. We will recognise a Palestinian state at a time that is most conducive to making statehood a reality, and we will continue working with partners to support a path to long term peace and stability with a two-state solution: a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_232

Brendan O'Hara:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on how many occasions a representative of the Government has raised the case of Alaa Abd el-Fattah with the Egyptian government since December 2021. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary has repeatedly raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, most recently during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January on a visit to Cairo. The UK will use the upcoming Universal Periodic Review on Egypt in January to raise issues relating to human rights. Officials and the Ambassador raise this continually with Egyptian counterparts.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_233

Colum Eastwood:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the escalation of violence in the West Bank. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The risk of rising instability in the West Bank is serious, and the need for de-escalation urgent. The UK has been clear that it is in no-one's interest for further conflict and instability to spread in the West Bank. We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions. Settler violence is unacceptable, and the UK continues to urge the Israeli government to act to stop settler violence. We continue to raise violence in the West Bank with Israeli counterparts. As the Foreign Secretary said in his statement on 15 January, much remains to be done - to implement all phases of the deal in full and establish a pathway to lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_234

Gregor Poynton:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of improving paternity leave provisions on health disparities in lower-income families. \p Justin Madders: The government is committed to supporting working families and is already delivering on this commitment. The Employment Rights Bill will make Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave ‘day one’ rights, increasing flexibility for families and helping them to better balance work and family responsibilities.

The government has also committed to a review of the whole parental leave system. This review will assess the effectiveness of the current system across a range of metrics, ensuring it offers the best possible support to working families. Work is already underway on planning for its delivery.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_235

Jo Platt:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department is taking steps to help tackle class pay gaps in the private sector. \p Justin Madders: We are committed to delivering better life chances for all - breaking the link between background and success.

The National Minimum Wage has been one of the most successful economic policy interventions over the last quarter of a century. In 2024, the percentage of employees in low-hourly paid jobs was 3.4% - a record low, and compared to 21.9% in 1999, when the National Minimum Wage was introduced.

In April 2025, over 3 million workers are expected to receive a pay rise due to the increase to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage.