Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of reports of the use of cryptocurrency exchanges by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps via UK-based platforms.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As I said when this issue was raised in the Urgent Question debate on 19 January, we have a robust sanctions enforcement regime in place, and - while it would not be appropriate to comment on individual cases - we will continue to investigate and take action against any individuals and entities, including cryptocurrency exchanges, involved in any unlawful attempts to circumvent our sanctions regime.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to her international counterparts on the protection of Kurdish civilians in Northern areas of Syria, in the context of reported ceasefire violations in Syria.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made to the House on 28 January 2026.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of providing humanitarian assistance in Syria in the context of reports of ceasefire violations in the region.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made to the House on 28 January 2026.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to her international counterparts on the protection of (a) Kurdish, (b) Yezidi and (c) Christian communities.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made to the House on 28 January 2026.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to her Syrian counterpart on the protection of Kurdish civilians in northern areas of that country.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made to the House on 28 January 2026.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her counterpart in Iraq on the treatment of Assyrians in that country.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to question 108273 on 29 January 2026.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many UK nationals died in Thailand in each of the last three years; and what the causes were of those deaths.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Consular staff have provided support in the following cases where a British national has died in Thailand in each of the last three years.

The data is based on the cases that are reported to us by the local authorities, families or others. We record the cause of death based on what we are told, and Consular staff are unable to independently investigate the cause of deaths. There will also be cases where we may not be informed of a death.

Where the figures are 5 or fewer (but more than one), we do not publish a breakdown of the numbers, as this risks identifying the individuals involved. To release this data would contravene one of the data protection principles, and sections 40(2) and 40(3) of the Freedom of Information Act apply.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of attacks on places of worship for Christian communities in Ethiopia.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We remain concerned about attacks on places of worship in Ethiopia, and their impact on civilians. We note the 4 November statement of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Ethiopia condemning recent attacks on Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Muslim communities. We continue to call on all parties to engage in dialogue to address the underlying causes of conflict. Through our Human Rights and Peacebuilding Programme, the UK supports dialogue efforts by local peacemakers, women's groups and the Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia. The UK also supports the investigative capacity of Ethiopian Human Rights Commission to follow up on reports of violations affecting civilians.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to the Government of Iran concerning the disproportionate arrests and harsh interrogations of Jews, Christians, and Baha’is in that country.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

On 12 January, the Foreign Secretary told Foreign Minister Araghchi directly that the Iranian Government must immediately end the violence carried out against peaceful protestors in Iran, and uphold fundamental rights and freedoms.

We subsequently led the call, alongside international partners, for a Special Session of the Human Rights Council on 23 January to address the ongoing abuses in Iran, and we were pleased that the Council voted to extend the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Iran to collect evidence of the authorities' human rights violations, including in relation to religion or belief.

At the Council, UK Human Rights Ambassador Eleanor Sanders, highlighted the bravery of protesters, especially women and members of religious and ethnic minority groups, who faced severe repression in their daily lives. We will continue to work with international partners to hold Iran to account for its repression of Freedom of Religion or Belief.

For further background, I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 6 August 2025 to Question 67802.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with Syrian Democratic Forces on the repatriation of Islamic State-linked individuals to the United Kingdom from the al-Roj camp.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the written ministerial statement I made on 28 January on the situation in North-East Syria, and I will provide further updates to the House in due course as the situation evolves.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many Islamic State-linked a) men, b) women and c) children have been allowed to return to the UK following detention in camps within Syria.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the written ministerial statement I made on 28 January on the situation in North-East Syria, and I will provide further updates to the House in due course as the situation evolves.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the human rights situation in Syria, in particular in relation to the rights of Kurdish people; and what action she is taking.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made to the House on 28 January 2026.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on global oil trade.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Closure of the Strait of Hormuz would significantly disrupt global oil supplies, resulting in higher global prices. In the event of any global supply disruption, the UK holds emergency oil stocks that can be released to the market as part of a collective action by member countries of the International Energy Agency.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with international partners to help ensure access to medical supplies in Gaza.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to: (a) the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January, and (b) the joint statement on humanitarian access issued by the Foreign Secretary and nine of her international counterparts on 30 December 2025, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jointstatementon-the-gaza-humanitarian-response.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information her Department holds on the status of Karim Ennarah's case.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK regularly raises human rights and civil society issues with the Egyptian authorities. We are aware of Mr Karim Ennarah's case, and our Ambassador in Egypt met Mr Ennarah and his wife in October last year. We are committed to supporting human rights defenders, who play a vital role and should be able to work freely in Egypt, consistent with rights guaranteed under the Egyptian Constitution.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has received representations from Inter Mediate on sanctions on the Syrian government.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 3 June 2025 to the question 52690.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with international partners on supporting de-escalation and ceasefire negotiations in Syria.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made to the House on 28 January 2026.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her department is taking to ensure access to humanitarian aid in Syria.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made to the House on 28 January 2026.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of geographic application of Gaza in the Charter of the US-proposed Board of Peace compared to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I provided on this issue at departmental oral questions on 20 January. We will keep the House updated on further developments as international discussions on the 20-point plan continue.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has sought a legal assessment from the Attorney General on the legal status of the US-proposed Board of Peace.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I provided on this issue at departmental oral questions on 20 January. We will keep the House updated on further developments as international discussions on the 20-point plan continue.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the security of prisons holding ISIS members following gains by the Syrian army against the Syrian Democratic Forces.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the written ministerial statement published on 28 January. Any further updates on the issues addressed in that statement will be made in the normal way in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UK Government has determined whether to join the US-proposed Board of Peace.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I provided on this issue at departmental oral questions on 20 January. We will keep the House updated on further developments as international discussions on the 20-point plan continue.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to ratify the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the response given to question 109027 on 5 February.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for his Department of the report by Resilience & Reconstruction entitled Disinformation, UK Democracy, and Attitudes toward Ukraine & Russia in the UK, published on 14 January 2026.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 January in response to Question 105450.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the UK's current budget for humanitarian aid to Myanmar; what steps they are taking to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the people who are most in need and not blocked or diverted by the military; and whether they plan to increase aid.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

Since the coup in Myanmar in February 2021, the UK has provided more than £190 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance, emergency healthcare and education support, and work to support civil society and local communities. In the past year, the UK has supported 1.4 million people with humanitarian assistance and provided essential health services to 1.3 million people. The UK works with local civil society organisations and national NGOs in Myanmar, which can overcome humanitarian access restrictions to reach vulnerable people in conflict-affected areas.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the ratification of the Global Ocean Treaty.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Following Royal Assent of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act (BBNJ), further secondary legislation is required before the BBNJ Agreement can be ratified by the UK. This will happen when the parliamentary timetable allows.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to ratify the UN High Seas Treaty by June 2026.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Following Royal Assent of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act (BBNJ), further secondary legislation is required before the BBNJ Agreement can be ratified by the UK. This will happen when the parliamentary timetable allows.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking with international partners to help tackle organised immigration crime.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answers I gave in departmental oral questions on 28 October on tackling organised immigration crime. Fraudulent visa agents also target those seeking to come to the UK on fake visas and the UK and India are cooperating to protect people from scams and tackle irregular migration at its source.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the current elections in Myanmar, (2) the impact of those elections on human rights in Myanmar, and (3) the implications for the regions of the county that are excluded from voting in those elections.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

We continue to support the aspirations of the people of Myanmar for a peaceful, democratic future. However, there is little sign that the recent elections will achieve an end to violence, advance dialogue, or address the urgent requirements to allow access for humanitarian assistance and bring an end to human rights violations.

In December 2025, the UK convened the UN Security Council to discuss the Myanmar elections, emphasising ongoing human rights concerns and the humanitarian situation:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/elections-under-the-current-circumstances-in-myanmar-risk-provoking-further-violence-uk-statement-on-myanmar

We have also continued to signal concern over the election conditions, including at the UN Third Committee on Human Rights in November 2025:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-uk-is-concerned-by-the-ongoing-violence-in-myanmar-including-escalating-human-rights-violations-and-increasing-reports-of-sexual-andgender-based

We continue to support ASEAN's leadership on the crisis, including the work of the Special Envoy and the need for full implementation of the Five Point Consensus. In addition, we will continue to use our penholder role to spotlight the Myanmar crisis and raise our concerns with international allies within the UN Security Council and other international fora.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to take steps to place Myanmar as an urgent item on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council following the military-run elections in that country.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

We continue to support the aspirations of the people of Myanmar for a peaceful, democratic future. However, there is little sign that the recent elections will achieve an end to violence, advance dialogue, or address the urgent requirements to allow access for humanitarian assistance and bring an end to human rights violations.

In December 2025, the UK convened the UN Security Council to discuss the Myanmar elections, emphasising ongoing human rights concerns and the humanitarian situation:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/elections-under-the-current-circumstances-in-myanmar-risk-provoking-further-violence-uk-statement-on-myanmar

We have also continued to signal concern over the election conditions, including at the UN Third Committee on Human Rights in November 2025:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-uk-is-concerned-by-the-ongoing-violence-in-myanmar-including-escalating-human-rights-violations-and-increasing-reports-of-sexual-andgender-based

We continue to support ASEAN's leadership on the crisis, including the work of the Special Envoy and the need for full implementation of the Five Point Consensus. In addition, we will continue to use our penholder role to spotlight the Myanmar crisis and raise our concerns with international allies within the UN Security Council and other international fora.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking with international allies in response to the military regime's elections in Myanmar.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

We continue to support the aspirations of the people of Myanmar for a peaceful, democratic future. However, there is little sign that the recent elections will achieve an end to violence, advance dialogue, or address the urgent requirements to allow access for humanitarian assistance and bring an end to human rights violations.

In December 2025, the UK convened the UN Security Council to discuss the Myanmar elections, emphasising ongoing human rights concerns and the humanitarian situation:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/elections-under-the-current-circumstances-in-myanmar-risk-provoking-further-violence-uk-statement-on-myanmar

We have also continued to signal concern over the election conditions, including at the UN Third Committee on Human Rights in November 2025:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-uk-is-concerned-by-the-ongoing-violence-in-myanmar-including-escalating-human-rights-violations-and-increasing-reports-of-sexual-andgender-based

We continue to support ASEAN's leadership on the crisis, including the work of the Special Envoy and the need for full implementation of the Five Point Consensus. In addition, we will continue to use our penholder role to spotlight the Myanmar crisis and raise our concerns with international allies within the UN Security Council and other international fora.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the risk that Arc 7 ice class LNG carriers linked to UK actors could be sold, transferred, or reflagged to evade sanctions or services restrictions; and what steps her Department is taking to help prevent such vessels from supporting Russian LNG exports.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

In November 2025, I announced our intention to impose a maritime services ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), cutting off access to UK services which facilitate these exports globally. The measure will be introduced this year and come into full effect at the end of the year. We have already taken strong action on Russian LNG, sanctioning 16 vessels to date as well as the Beihai LNG import terminal in China and Russia's flagship Arctic LNG2 project - which is now severely disrupted. In addition to the ban on Russian LNG imports to the UK which took effect in 2023, these actions demonstrate the UK's clear commitment to taking Russian energy off the market to reduce the Kremlin's revenue.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if, following the her Department's settlement with Mr Abu Zubaydah, her Department will seek to support the relocation of Mr Abu Zubaydah to a safe country.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 19 January 2025 to Question 105729. Discussions on non-British nationals detained in US facilities are a matter for the US authorities and the nations of those detained.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if, following her Department's settlement with Mr Abu Zubaydah, her Department will call on the USA to release Mr Abu Zubaydah.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 19 January 2025 to Question 105729. Discussions on non-British nationals detained in US facilities are a matter for the US authorities and the nations of those detained.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of whether UK-linked companies or vessels, including vessels operated or managed by Seapeak and specialised Arc 7 ice class LNG carriers, are contributing directly or indirectly to to the export of liquefied natural gas from Russia’s Arctic Yamal LNG project by Russian state or security agency activities.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

In November 2025, I announced our intention to impose a maritime services ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), cutting off access to UK services which facilitate these exports globally. The measure will be introduced this year and come into full effect at the end of the year. We have already taken strong action on Russian LNG, sanctioning 16 vessels to date as well as the Beihai LNG import terminal in China and Russia's flagship Arctic LNG2 project - which is now severely disrupted. In addition to the ban on Russian LNG imports to the UK which took effect in 2023, these actions demonstrate the UK's clear commitment to taking Russian energy off the market to reduce the Kremlin's revenue.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 15 September 2025, to Question 69770, if he will publish information on meetings held with officials.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) already publishes quarterly transparency data on the external meetings held by the department's permanent under secretaries, directors general, and finance and commercial directors. Publishing comprehensive lists of all the external meetings held by every member of FCDO staff based in the UK and overseas could only be done at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she has taken in response to the situation in Iran.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement to the House on 13 January, and to my responses in the Urgent Question debate on 19 January.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with international counterparts to ensure Doctors Without Borders are able to access Gaza to provide aid to Palestinians.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the statement to the House I made on 5 January, and to the joint statement issued by the Foreign Secretary and several of her counterparts on 30 December, available on GOV.UK here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jointstatementon-the-gaza-humanitarian-response. My officials continue to engage closely with Médecins Sans Frontières on this issue.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the answer to Question 104985, whether the Government is aware of which independent audit firm the Palestinian Authority has contracted to complete the review of curriculum reform.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I currently have nothing further to add to the previous answer to which the Hon Member refers in his question. As and when there is further information to report on this matter, I will update him and other Members accordingly.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Taliban's decision to permanently ban women and girls from education.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 12 January in response to Question 103187.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with international partners on modern slavery in Afghanistan.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials are working closely with international partners on this issue, as well as broader human rights concerns in Afghanistan. Officials consistently raise human rights concerns with the Taliban and urge them to reverse their inhuman restrictions. We continue to support the UN Special Rapporteur and his mandate to document human rights abuses in Afghanistan. Upholding human rights is not only a moral imperative but also essential for building a stable, inclusive and prosperous country for all Afghans.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress she has made on making an assessment of the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 12 November 2025 to Question 85800.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the government of China about the redevelopment of the UK embassy in Beijing; and whether they discussed the construction of a new Chinese embassy in London in those talks.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided on 4 April 2025 to Question HL6121, and to the subsequent statement made to the House by Baroness Anderson of Stoke‑on‑Trent on 26 January setting out the decision taken by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

We have been clear throughout that the planning decision was for the Secretary of State at MHCLG to make in an independent, quasi-judicial capacity.

While it has been clear for a number of years that we need to rebuild our own Embassy in Beijing, which is in a poor condition and not suitable for managing a diplomatic relationship with a country as consequential to UK and global interests as China, that cannot be, and has not been, factored into this planning decision by the Secretary of State at MHCLG.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what action she is taking to help stop illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answers given to Question 907375 on 20 January, Question 77510 on 15 October 2025, and Question 74580 on 17 September 2025.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to implement the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 12 November 2025 to Question 85800.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the security situation in North-East Syria on humanitarian operations; and what steps she is taking to support the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to my written ministerial statement on 28 January.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much Official Development Assistance they contributed to the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in (1) 2023, (2) 2024, and (3) 2025.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The table below shows UK ODA funding in 2023 and 2024 provided to the International Committee of the Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The figures do not capture funding to Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement organisations where they are a partner further down the delivery chain.

Figures for 2025 will be published in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 17 September 2025 (HL10206) and 23 September 2025 (HL10204), what definition of a woman they use when engaging in joint UK-EU programmes relating to women; whether it differs from the self-identification policy adopted by the European Institute for Gender Equality; and whether they plan to change the UK definition in light of the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The Supreme Court decision concerned the definition of a woman in the context of the UK Equality Act 2010.

If the Noble Baroness wishes to specify the UK-EU programmes that she has in mind, I will be happy to examine whether her question arises in relation to those programmes.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support her Department has offered to the a) Republic of Mozambique, b) Republic of Zimbabwe and c) Republic of South Africa following the recent flooding incidents in those countries; and what direct engagement has taken place between His Majesty's Government and Ministers in each nation about the recovery effort.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK was one of the first countries to step up with lifesaving assistance for Mozambique. We delivered a £2 million increase in humanitarian funding, building on earlier action in 2025 to help communities prepare for increasingly frequent climate-related disasters. This support enabled the deployment of a specialist UK International Search and Rescue team, which saved dozens of lives, and helped provide emergency sanitation and health support to those most in need through local partners. The Minister of State for Development has just returned from Mozambique and saw first-hand the impact of the UK's flexible and rapid response to the crisis.

We have not had any direct ministerial engagement with Zimbabwe or South Africa on this matter, but we continue to monitor the situation closely.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of allegations of sexual and gender based violence against women and girls from ethnic minority groups in Syria, including abduction as sex slaves, and how the UK is supporting documentation, survivor assistance, and accountability in the context of those allegations, including in remote areas.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 1 August 2025 to the question HL9684.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to announce the 2026 Official Development Assistance budget allocations; and whether they will make the announcement by means of an oral statement to both Houses.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The allocations in question will be set out in the coming months, and we will confirm details of that planned announcement in the normal way in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will have discussions with her counterpart in Pakistan about the abduction of Women in Balochistan.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK remains deeply concerned by reports of human rights abuses in Pakistan, including in Balochistan. Advocating for civil and political rights is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement with Pakistan. To that end, I raised human rights issues on several occasions with Pakistan's Interior and Human Rights Ministers and Deputy Prime Minister last year. Our High Commission in Islamabad also regularly engages on these issues with the Government of Pakistan at the highest levels, as well as supporting a variety of UK-funded programmes promoting human rights in Pakistan. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people in Pakistan in accordance with its constitution and international standards.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what their latest assessment is of the political situation in Cote d'Ivoire.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The UK welcomes the largely peaceful conduct of Côte d'Ivoire's recent presidential and legislative elections, and the appointment of a new government. We will continue to strengthen our trade and investment partnership, supporting jobs and growth in both our countries, and work with Côte d'Ivoire in addressing regional insecurity.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the report by Resilience and Reconstruction entitled Disinformation, UK Democracy, and Attitudes toward Ukraine & Russia in the UK, published on January 2026; and whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of social media platform algorithms on the spread of misleading or hostile state-aligned narratives in relation to (a) the war in Ukraine and (b) other matters.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 January to Question 105450. As concerns the algorithms of social media platforms, the Online Safety Act gives Ofcom the power to request information on their design, including as this relates to allegations of illegal mis- and disinformation.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their proxies about the registration of international non-governmental organisation activity in Darfur, Sudan, and ensuring humanitarian access.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided by the Foreign Secretary to her question during Topical Questions on 20 January. The UK continues to use all diplomatic channels to maintain pressure on the warring parties to allow unrestricted humanitarian access. The UK Special Representative to Sudan regularly engages with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and regional partners, making clear the UK's demands for urgent humanitarian relief, a civilian-led transition, and adherence to international law.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make a statement on the recent ministerial visit to Yemen.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I updated the House on my visit to Yemen in November in my oral statement on 5 January, and my responses to oral questions on 20 January.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People’s Congress work on a draft bill on Antarctic Activities and Environmental Protection Law on British sovereign interests in the Antarctic.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

All Antarctic Treaty Parties have a responsibility to ensure their activities in Antarctica are undertaken in accordance with the Antarctic Treaty and its Environmental Protocol.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the transfer of Diego Garcia to Mauritius on the risk of nuclear proliferation across the African continent, in the context of the influences of (a) Iran, (b) Russia, (c) China and (d) other actors.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 9 September 2025 in response to Question 70432.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of attacks and sexual violence against the Kurds in North East Syria; and what discussions they have held with the governments of Turkey and Syria about these attacks.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to my written ministerial statement HLWS1285, made on 28 January.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the new government of Syria regarding the protection and political inclusion of the Kurds and other minorities in the new government.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to my written ministerial statement HLWS1285, made on 28 January.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what their latest assessment is of the political situation in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The Government remains deeply concerned about the evolving situation in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. We speak to all parties on a regular basis, and we continue to support efforts to implement the African Union-led Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, including through funding for monitoring and compliance mechanisms, and the safe, voluntary and dignified returns of Internally Displaced Peoples.

However, implementation of that agreement remains slow, and preparations for the national elections scheduled for 1 June have been hampered by disagreements over security assessments and the registration status of the Tigray People's Liberation Front. In the last week of January, clashes between Tigrayan Forces and the Ethiopian National Defence Forces occurred in the disputed areas of Western and Southern Tigray. While these appear to have subsided, they contribute to a highly fragile and unpredictable security environment.

The Foreign Secretary raised these issues with the Government of Ethiopia during her recent visit to Addis Ababa.

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Found: Chair of the International Development Committee House of Commons London SW1A 0AA www.gov.uk/fcdo

Found: The letter addresses questions about FCDO staffing, referencing a previous committee session with Sir

Found: The FCDO has one of the most effective and best organised networks of climate attachés in the world

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Found: uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10883207 9 Department for Science, Innovation and Technology & Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Found: communication, especially at an official level within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (“FCDO

Found: into practical, time-bound commitments, with clearer ownership across UK departments beyond the FCDO

Found: wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Financial-support-for-climate-action-implications-of-the-ICJ-AO.pdf iv FCDO

Found: It was also proposed that the FCDO consider a small number of pathfinder Territories of different types

Found: this engagement through our desk officers in the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development office (FCDO

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Found: uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10883207 9 Department for Science, Innovation and Technology & Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Found: collaboration can be inconsistent. 3.2 During my employment with the St Helena Government (2017–2021), FCDO

Found: an issue does not sit solely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO

Found: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and Department

Found: Planet Fund review found under performance by Defra.spending target backloaded to the later years led FCDO

Found: Cassel (2024) argues that mainstreaming climate policy would enable the FCDO to connect geopolitics and

Found: Cassel (2024) argues that mainstreaming climate policy would enable the FCDO to connect geopolitics

Found: Owner: DESNZ and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). 7.4.

Found: community energy—as models that could be exported through Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO

Found: sites/default/files/documents/issues/disability/cop29-ndc-tool-rights-persons-with- disabil.pdf 12 FCDO

Found: , chaired the Ministerial roundtable “Tackling the Global Water and Climate Crisis” hosted by the FCDO

Found: SUM(B43:C43)-109Fire Pensions to MHCLG Local Government-115=SUM(B44:C44)Marginal Platform Costs to FCDO

Found: (JMSC Funding RDEL element) Transfer to MOD RE funding for National Shipping Office Transfer from FCDO

Found: How the FCDO assesses VfM against its core principles; d.

Found: How the FCDO assesses VfM against its core principles; d.

Found: Automated Vehicle Education (PAVE) UK Programme 2025- 26. 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCT from FCDO

Found: This funding has been provided to MOD by the FCDO. 5.

Found: • ISF Biosecurity funding of £1.1m from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

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Found: The work of FCDO in that sense is hugely important, and their work in support of foreign aid is super-important

Found: The work of FCDO in that sense is hugely important, and their work in support of foreign aid is super-important

Found: Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Oral Evidence

Found: That is why you have an FCDO and why we have a State Department.

Found: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Oral Evidence

Found: (FCDO) for Language and curriculum (Prog) 11,000 (Section B) BCT (IN) from Cabinet

Found: (FCDO) for Language and curriculum (Prog) 11,000 (Section B) BCT (IN) from Cabinet

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Found: guidance in collaboration with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), the Home Office, the FCDO

Found: Rhoddir mwy o fanylion am sut y gall y FCDO helpu yn: www.gov.uk/guidance/victim-of-crime-abroad Pan

Found: FCDO Services spending over £500, December 2025

Found: FCDO Services spending over £500, December 2025

Found: FCDO Services spending over £500, December 2025

Found: FCDO Services spend over £25,000, January 2026

Found: FCDO Services spend over £25,000, January 2026

Found: FCDO Services spend over £25,000, January 2026

Found: of ResignationNILOther Public AppointmentsRoleDate of AppointmentDate of ResignationMember of the FCDO

Found: the four-year ASEAN Economic Integration Programme (ASEAN EIP)1, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Found: (FCDO) tell examiners the parent is not recorded on the FCDO database, then they

Found: It is also recommended to check Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice on safety

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Found: Country-based staff are employed by FCDO under their terms and conditions and staffing costs are reimbursed