Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

The G7 Leaders Summit was a critical point as we work towards COP26 in Glasgow later this year. The G7 collectively committed to achieve net zero no later than 2050, and to halve our collective emissions and protect 30% of land and oceans by 2030.

We are working to build support for the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, and 88 countries so far have signed up. I am pleased that in the last two weeks, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Guyana, and Suriname have also signed up. Just last weekend, the Prime Minister secured commitments from G7 Leaders to work together to tackle biodiversity loss, including to protect at least 30% of global land and ocean by 2030.

As stated in my answer of 9 June, the Ambassador and other international representatives visited Jau Prison on 3 May. The visit enabled our Ambassador to raise human rights matters, to see and assess the facilities and current conditions at Jau Prison first hand and to understand the measures implemented to counter Covid-19.

Ministers have not had discussions with Dr. Saeed Alshehabi, Mr Moosa Mohammad or Mr Ali Mushaima.

It was not possible to invite further national participants to the G7 summit. However G7 Leaders discussed current global issues including the Lukashenko regime's reckless and dangerous behaviour and this was reflected in the official communique. The Foreign Secretary discussed the political situation in Belarus with the opposition leader, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya on 2 June and made it clear that Mrs Tikhanovskaya should visit the UK as soon as conditions allow. Until that becomes possible, officials are in regular contact with civil society and opposition groups and most recently spoke to members of the Belarus National Anti-Crisis Management on 7 June.

We support the opposition’s struggle to seek a democratic future for all Belarusians through peaceful means. We strongly condemn the ongoing repression and human rights violations committed by the Lukashenko regime. The Government has increased financial support to civil society organisations and independent media. We have provided over £1m in 2020, and an additional £1.8m this financial year to support civil society and media freedom in Belarus. We have imposed over 90 sanctions designations in response to the fraudulent elections and human rights violations in Belarus and we are actively considering further designations. Following the FR4978 flight, the UK took clear decisive action:

• We suspended the operating permit of Belavia airlines.

• We banned Belarusian airlines from UK airspace without prior authorisation

• We have advised all UK airlines to avoid flying over Belarus.

The Foreign Secretary discussed the political situation in Belarus and further measures the UK might take with the opposition leader in exile, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya 2 June. The UK pressed for a fact finding investigation by ICAO, the international organisation responsible for civil aviation, which was established on 27 May.

The UK remains at the forefront of refugee responses around the world. In March, the Foreign Secretary announced ‘at least £205 million’ to the Syria Crisis, bringing our total support to over £3.7 billion since 2012.

We continue to be one of the lead donors to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), supporting its efforts to provide assistance to vulnerable refugees in some of the most challenging environments around the world.

The UK is also one of the largest bilateral donors to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment, supporting access to vaccines in up to 92 low and middle-income countries, aiming to supply 1.3 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines before the end of 2021.

We continue to monitor the humanitarian situation in Gaza, exacerbated by recent escalation of violence between Hamas and Israel, including significant damage and destruction of civilian infrastructure including homes, schools, hospitals, and clinics.

We are in close contact with UN agencies and key partners on the ground to assess the situation and will monitor closely.

I announced funding of £3.2 million to UNRWA’s emergency flash appeal on 20 May. This will address the immediate humanitarian needs of vulnerable Palestinians living in Gaza.

Humanitarian access remains critical. We continue to urge Israel to ensure access into and out of Gaza, including for essential health services.

The UK’s position on settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution.

The UK and Israel have a strong and important trading relationship and we are firmly opposed to boycotts or sanctions. But we do not recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including the settlements, as part of Israel.

We urge Israel to halt settlement expansion immediately.

Ultimately it will be the decision of an individual or company whether to operate in settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, but the British Government would neither encourage nor offer support to such activity.

As my honourable friend knows, we agreed a 2021/22 Spending Review for the British Council settlement totalling £189m, a 27% increase on funding for 2020/21. Not only have we increased funding, we provided a rescue package during the Covid-19 pandemic. This includes immediate assistance of £26m at the start of the pandemic, a loan facility of up to £145m, and a further £100m loan to support restructuring. We also provided a Letter of Comfort to ensure the Council could meet its financial obligations. Alongside the British Council, we are reviewing physical Council presence in country as part of a wider modernisation process. These changes will be minimal. The impact of the Council in a digital age should be judged by its operational rather than physical presence. But I would remind him that despite the challenging economic climate, the Government is providing over £600 million since the pandemic hit to secure the Council’s future, demonstrating our commitment to the organisation.

HM Government takes its export control responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. We consider all export applications thoroughly against a strict risk assessment framework and keep all licences under careful and continual review as standard. HM Government will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.

The Government is taking concrete and swift action in response to the forced landing of flight FR4978. Specific actions include the banning of all Belarusian aircraft from UK airspace without prior authorisation; suspension of the Belarusian national carrier's operating permit and advice to all UK airlines against overflying Belarus airspace. The UK also led in initiating a robust G7 statement in response to the forced landing of flight FR4978, and led calls for the investigation now launched by the International Civil Aviation Organization. As the Foreign Secretary made clear in his statement of 24 May, we are also consulting with allies on further measures against the regime in Belarus, including sanctions.

British nationals should not travel to red list countries or territories. Those already overseas should follow the public health advice of the country which they are in, including current COVID-19 restrictions. Those wishing to return to the UK can use commercial travel options to do so. The Government has announced that, as part of a limited trial, from 8 June direct flights are permitted to England from red list countries that were previously subject to flight bans, so long as they arrive at dedicated terminals at Heathrow and Birmingham. Those returning should check current COVID-19 related restrictions on gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control), noting that individuals returning from red listed countries must enter managed quarantine in a hotel. British nationals requiring assistance should contact their nearest embassy, consulate or high commission. Our consular staff endeavour to give appropriate and tailored support to British nationals overseas and their families in the UK, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year. This support includes providing assistance to return to the UK where it is appropriate. The assistance the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) can provide to British nationals abroad is set out in the publication: Support for British nationals abroad: A Guide (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-british-nationals-abroad-a-guide).

We have serious concerns about the gross violation of human rights occurring in Xinjiang, including the extra-judicial detention of over a million Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in 'political re-education camps'; systematic restrictions on Uyghur culture and the practice of Islam; and extensive and invasive surveillance targeting minorities.

The UK Government has led international efforts to hold China to account. We led the first two statements on Xinjiang at the UN and have utilised our diplomatic network to raise the issue up the international agenda. In January, we announced a package of measures to help ensure no UK organisation is complicit in human rights violations in China, and in March we imposed asset freezes and travel bans against four senior Chinese government officials and one entity, alongside the EU, US and Canada. The Foreign Secretary has raised the UK's serious concerns directly with Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi on a number of occasions, most recently on 27 May, and has repeatedly called for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, or another UN expert to be allowed unfettered access to Xinjiang.

We have not made specific representations in relation to the regulations to which you refer, however we regularly engage with Greek authorities, UNHCR and NGO's on migration issues, and support Greece's efforts to effectively manage migration. UK and Greek Ministers discussed migration priorities and opportunities for further collaboration in March and May 2021. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and Americas also discussed migration challenges with representatives from the Migration Ministry and International Organisation for Migration during her visit to Athens in April. We will continue to work with our partners to identify opportunities to further support Greece's efforts in this regard.

We have not made specific representations in relation to the regulations to which you refer, however we regularly engage with Greek authorities, UNHCR and NGO's on migration issues, and support Greece's efforts to effectively manage migration. UK and Greek Ministers discussed migration priorities and opportunities for further collaboration in March and May 2021. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and Americas also discussed migration challenges with representatives from the Migration Ministry and International Organisation for Migration during her visit to Athens in April. We will continue to work with our partners to identify opportunities to further support Greece's efforts in this regard.

The Government has increased financial support to civil society organisations and independent media to support the environment for inclusive political dialogue in Belarus.

The UK's support for opposition groups in Belarus is focused on supporting the democratic rights of the people of Belarus, including through an inclusive national dialogue to end the current crisis. The Foreign Secretary discussed the political situation in Belarus with the opposition leader in exile, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, on 2 June. Mrs Tikhanovskaya has praised the UK's actions on Belarus to date and discussed what further measures the UK might take. The Foreign Secretary looked forward to meeting Mrs Tikhanovskaya in the UK as soon as it was possible for her to visit.

Sanctions are one response among a number of diplomatic tools we can deploy around the world as part of a broader political strategy in order to change or send a political signal regarding particular behaviours. The Global Human Rights Sanctions regime gives the UK a powerful tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses. We will continue to consider targets globally, guided by the objectives of the human rights sanctions regime and the evidence. However, it is not appropriate to speculate on who may be designated in the future, as to do so could reduce their impact.

The UK Government, alongside our partners in the Core Group, has led international efforts over many years to promote accountability, reconciliation and human rights in Sri Lanka, including at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). On 23 March the UNHRC adopted a new UK-led resolution, 46/1. This resolution provides a continued framework for international engagement on human rights in Sri Lanka, and highlights serious concerns about the situation, including those detailed in the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). It calls on the government of Sri Lanka to make progress on accountability and human rights, and stresses the importance of a comprehensive accountability process for all violations and abuses committed in Sri Lanka. We continue to engage with the government of Sri Lanka on these important issues.

The G7 Leaders' Summit (11-13 June in Cornwall) demonstrated our leadership in revitalising G7 cooperation between democratic open societies to tackle the most pressing global challenges.

As well as a series of commitments to support the ending of the pandemic in 2022, and major new commitments on climate, the Leaders' Communiqué also set out high governance standards as a priority within our new G7 initiative for clean and green growth, and committed the G7 to enhancing cooperation on investment security within our G7 Investment Screening Expert Group.

The rule of law was reaffirmed as central to our shared values, both in the Communiqué and the Open Societies Statement (which was agreed by both the G7 and our guests of Australia, India, the Republic of Korea and South Africa).

The Foreign Secretary has not received recent representations on nuclear theft in India. The UK discusses nuclear issues, including nuclear security, with India at an annual senior official dialogue. Working level engagement on nuclear security takes place through a UK-India Joint Working Group.

The UK remains committed to the highest standards of nuclear security at home and around the world. We strongly support the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) role in coordinating global efforts and assisting Member States implement effective nuclear security. We are a leading contributor to the IAEA's Nuclear Security Fund (NSF), which helps Member States to enhance their security.

The UK's statement at the UN Security Council on 7 June condemned the recent violence on the Chad / Central African Republic (CAR) border, and expressed our condolences for the lives lost. As our Ambassador to Chad stated on 5 June, the UK supports the stability of the region, and takes seriously infringements of the territorial integrity of any country. Tensions must be de-escalated through diplomatic means. Ministers have not held discussions recently with the Governments of Chad or CAR regarding the border clashes.

There is a second wave of COVID-19 in Nepal, which is reflected across all three of these indicators. The UK Government continues to support the people of Nepal during this pandemic, and the British Embassy in Kathmandu has reprioritised over £40 million of its development budget to support the COVID-19 response since 2020. In addition, on 28 May the UK Government donated 260 ventilators and various pieces of personal protective equipment, as well as funding two health experts to assess the situation and support Nepal's COVID-19 response.

The thematic areas announced for 2021-22 reflect the Foreign Secretary's strategic framework outlined to parliament on 26 November 2020. The Statistics on International Development (SID) National Statistics, published on GOV.UK, provide an overview of all UK spend on Official Development Assistance (ODA) by calendar year (2019 is the latest available year). Sector groupings reported in the SID are collected and reported in line with the OECD reporting directives, using the international OECD sector categories and will not directly correspond with the thematic areas announced for planned 2021-22 spend.

The UK continues to urge the Israeli Government to respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of peaceful, legal protestors.

In instances where there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we continue to urge Israel to ensure that its investigations are transparent, swift and comprehensive. We also continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

The UK welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza on 20 May, which is an important step to ending the cycle of violence and loss of civilian life. The UK priority now is ensuring timely humanitarian access into and out of Gaza, including for essential health services. We are urging the Government of Israel to ensure this access is maintained. We have made clear our concern about the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza, including significant damage and destruction of civilian infrastructure including homes, schools, hospitals, and clinics.

The United Kingdom is also providing an initial £3.2 million of UK aid to UNRWA's emergency flash appeal, which launched on 19 May 2021. This appeal will address the immediate humanitarian needs of vulnerable Palestinians living in Gaza.

The UK is committed to promoting the ethical development and deployment of technology in the UK and overseas. We are aware of a number of Chinese technology companies linked to violations taking place in Xinjiang, and are monitoring the situation closely.

On 12 January, the Foreign Secretary announced a series of measures to help ensure UK businesses and the public sector are not complicit in human rights violations or abuses in Xinjiang. These measures include a review of export controls; the introduction of financial penalties under the Modern Slavery Act; increasing support for UK government bodies to exclude suppliers complicit in violations or abuses; and strengthening the Overseas Business Risk guidance to highlight that businesses engaged in the fields of surveillance, biometrics, or tracking technology are at heightened risk of complicity in human rights violations in Xinjiang.

The UK Government has embarked on a comprehensive programme of engagement with businesses and UK trade bodies to discuss these issues. This has included a number of high level, Minister led sessions with businesses and trade bodies on the issue of Xinjiang since February 2021. The Government has also published guidance to help cutting-edge UK firms negotiate the ethical, legal and commercial questions they may encounter when working with Chinese businesses, supporting safe and appropriate UK-China collaboration in digital and tech. The guidance provides firms with clear, up-to-date information and specialist support which reflect the UK's values and take account of national security concerns.

There are regular discussions across Government on these issues, including through a cross-Government working group established in August 2020 to coordinate action related to the human rights situation in Xinjiang.

We are in close contact with the Government of Vietnam on the provision of Covid-19 vaccinations to British nationals. The Vietnamese Ministry of Health has indicated that foreign nationals resident in Vietnam will be included within their national vaccination programme, in line with their prioritisation strategy. Vietnam is currently prioritising vaccination of frontline medical staff, essential workers, and older or medically vulnerable groups. We will provide information on Vietnam's plans through the FCDO's Vietnam Travel Advice page.

The Foreign Secretary laid a statement before the House of Commons on 21 April 2021, which sets out how he is directing the FCDO's aid portfolio this year. He announced that the FCDO will spend £400 million of bilateral ODA on girls' education in the financial year 2021/22

Statistics on International Development: Final UK Aid Spend 2020 will be published in the autumn 2021, and will contain a detailed breakdowns of the UK's ODA spend for 2020. Statistics on International Development: Final UK Aid Spend 2019 is already available.

The EU has legislated such that British Citizens can travel visa-free in the Schengen area for short stays, such as for tourism, for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. British Citizens who are planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State, which may require applying for a visa and/or permit. British Citizens who apply for visas for longer stays in an EU Member State will also need to meet the healthcare requirements of that country. They may be able to join local healthcare schemes, or they may have to take out private insurance. They should check all entry requirements with Member State authorities before they travel.

The provisions in the Protocol on Social Security Coordination in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) mean that reciprocal healthcare arrangements are in place, allowing people to continue to have access to urgent or necessary healthcare cover when travelling in the EU. However, the Government still recommends that individuals take out comprehensive travel insurance which covers healthcare costs when travelling abroad. Reciprocal healthcare arrangements only cover emergency and necessary healthcare costs and so may not cover all healthcare costs that might arise when travelling.

Full budgets per country and a final audited spend for 2021/22 will be published in due course, including in our regular Statistics on International Development and in the FCDO Annual Report and Accounts.

Full budgets per country and a final audited spend for 2021/22 will be published in due course, including in our regular Statistics on International Development and in the FCDO Annual Report and Accounts.

Full budgets per country and a final audited spend for 2021/22 will be published in due course, including in our regular Statistics on International Development and in the FCDO Annual Report and Accounts.

The UK is appalled by reports of atrocities including widespread rape and other forms of sexual violence perpetrated by different armed groups in Tigray. As stated in response to question 6268, we are currently identifying personnel from the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative Team of Experts who can deploy to the region to strengthen justice for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. We do not have a fixed date for deployment yet. COVID-19 restrictions and the conflict environment are practicalities that have to be factored in, but we are working to deploy as soon as possible.

The UK is supporting the International Committee of the Red Cross, UN agencies, specialised NGOs and 9 civil society partners to provide adequate essential services to survivors. We currently contribute to the UNICEF, International Red Crescent and national Ethiopian Red Cross response supporting a total of 545 survivors (542 females and 3 males) with case management services.

We are aware of reports alleging that civilians in Tigray have suffered burns that may be consistent with the weaponised use of white phosphorus. The Government of Ethiopia has strongly refuted allegations that such weapons are being used against civilians. The UK strongly condemns direct or indiscriminate attacks against civilians no matter what weapon is used.

The UK Government is working to establish the facts. Access to the affected areas, and to verified information, remains difficult. We have called for communications to be restored and for unfettered humanitarian access. We have also consistently called for access for independent human rights investigators. We will continue to do so and support the efforts of the joint investigation between the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.

The UK is a strong supporter of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) having provided £1.37 billion in total since 1995. Future commitments to GPEI will be determined as part of the next Spending Review.

The UK is a strong supporter of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, having given £585 million in funding over the last 10 years and a total of £1.37 billion since 1995. Specifically, funding for each of the last 10 years has been:

2011/12 - £65 million

2012/13 - £40 million

2013/14 - £110 million

2014/15 - £50 million

2015/16 - £65 million

2016/17 - £39 million

2017/18 - £63 million

2018/19 - £50 million

2019/20 - £33 million

2020/21 - £70 million

Ministers and senior officials have frequent contact with their Australian counterparts on a range of issues, including our future approach in Afghanistan. The Prime Minister discussed Afghanistan with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on 14 May. There has been close collaboration between UK and Australia on Afghanistan over the last 20 years. We will continue to support Afghanistan together, working towards a more stable, peaceful future for Afghanistan, and the wider region.

As per the answer to Question 4662 all departments are responsible for their own value for money assessment against their suggested reductions.

The UK is leading the international response to COVID-19. We have made available new public commitments worth up to £1.3 billion of ODA to counter the health, economic, and humanitarian impacts of COVID-19 and to support the global effort to distribute vaccines equitably.

In India, there is significant UK-India scientific and medical collaboration underway with our Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific advisor regularly meeting their Indian counterparts to share advice, insight and expertise. We have also recently launched the 'UK-India Clinician Knowledge Exchange' which brings together clinicians from the UK and India to enable mutual sharing of best practices.

For Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and previous support to India, I refer the Honourable Member to my answers of 7 June to PQ 7832, 1 June to PQ 5187 and 5185 and 20 May to PQ 2477.

The UK border is open and at no point has the border been closed to UK citizens. Commercial travel options are available for UK citizens wishing to return to the UK. British nationals requiring assistance overseas should contact their nearest embassy, consulate or high commission. Our consular staff endeavour to give appropriate and tailored support to British nationals overseas and their families in the UK, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year. This support includes providing assistance to return to the UK where it is appropriate. Assistance that the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office can provide to British nationals abroad is set out in the publication "Support for British nationals abroad: A Guide" (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-british-nationals-abroad-a-guide).

The Global Human Rights Sanctions regime gives the UK a powerful tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses. No Sri Lankan officials have been designated under the sanctions regime to date and it is not appropriate to speculate on who may be designated in the future, as to do so could reduce the impact of the designation.

Sanctions are one response among a number of diplomatic tools. The UK government, alongside our partners in the Core Group, has led international efforts over many years to promote accountability, reconciliation and human rights in Sri Lanka, including at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). On 23 March the UNHRC adopted a new UK-led resolution, 46/1. This resolution provides a continued framework for international engagement on human rights in Sri Lanka, and highlights serious concerns about the situation, including those detailed in the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). It calls on the government of Sri Lanka to make progress on accountability and human rights, and stresses the importance of a comprehensive accountability process for all violations and abuses committed in Sri Lanka. We continue to engage with the government of Sri Lanka on these important issues.

FCDO travel advice has a box at the top of all the pages setting out the Government message that to prevent new COVID-19 variants from entering the UK, travellers should not travel to Amber or Red list countries. Every page also states the Traffic Light status for that country.

FCDO travel advice aims to inform British nationals of the risks of travelling to a country so that they can make informed decisions about travelling abroad. It is aimed at British nationals, wherever they live, not just those living in the UK. Only individuals can make an informed decision on whether or not to travel based on their personal circumstances, their judgement of the risks, the relevant legislation or regulations where they are resident and the entry requirements of their destination country.

The UK is committed to promoting the ethical development and deployment of technology in the UK and overseas. We are aware of a number of Chinese technology companies linked to violations taking place in Xinjiang, and are monitoring the situation closely.

On 12 January, the Foreign Secretary announced a series of measures to help ensure UK businesses and the public sector are not complicit in human rights violations or abuses in Xinjiang. These measures, which are being implemented by the UK Government, include a review of export controls; the introduction of financial penalties under the Modern Slavery Act; increasing support for UK government bodies to exclude suppliers complicit in violations or abuses; and strengthening the Overseas Business Risk guidance to highlight that businesses engaged in the fields of surveillance, biometrics, or tracking technology are at heightened risk of complicity in human rights violations in Xinjiang.

The UK Government has also published guidance to help cutting-edge UK firms negotiate the ethical, legal and commercial questions they may encounter when working with Chinese businesses, supporting safe and appropriate UK-China collaboration in digital and tech. The guidance provides firms with clear, up-to-date information and specialist support which reflect the UK's values and take account of national security concerns.

We are concerned about the impact of Covid on Myanmar's population, and the increased vulnerability of internally displaced people as a result of the coup. Protecting access to basic healthcare remains a UK priority, and we are ensuring that UK aid continues to support life-saving service delivery. We are in close contact with the UN, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other local civil society organisations, and we are ensuring as much flexibility as we can in their use of UK aid to enable them to operate safely and continue providing support. We are working with partners to understand specific needs and how Covid is impacting local communities.