Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
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 (a) investigate (i) war crimes and (ii) genocide in Sudan and (b) support international efforts to (A) end violence and (B) protect civilians in that country; whether she plans to (1) impose targeted sanctions on those responsible for that violence and (2) prevent UK arms exports; and what plans her Department has to increase the (a) volume and (b) effectiveness of humanitarian aid in that country.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the statement made by the Foreign Secretary on Sudan on 18 November, which addressed all these issues at length.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
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 parties to the conflict in Sudan on the operation of checkpoints hindering internally displaced persons’ access to safety (a) between El Fasher and Tawila and (b) elsewhere in Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the statement on Sudan made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the situation in Serbia regarding corruption, the rule of law, and restrictions on freedom of expression and the press; and whether they plan to review the United Kingdom’s support to Serbian state institutions, including through technical assistance, governance and justice sector cooperation, to ensure that all UK-funded programmes uphold democratic standards, transparency and accountability.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We remain concerned about shrinking civic space, pressures on independent media and slow progress on key reforms to strengthen rule of law and tackle corruption in Serbia. Recent steps such as progress on voter registration legislation are welcome, but need to be implemented. We continue to stress to Serbia's leadership the importance of respect for the rights to peaceful freedom of expression and assembly. UK-funded programmes, including technical assistance and governance cooperation, are designed and regularly assessed to support transparency, accountability, and good governance.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of UK bilateral aid was spent on tackling violence against women and girls in the 2024-5 financial year.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The requested figures are not yet available, but on the wider issue raised, I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 13 March 2025 to Question 33985.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what is the longest waiting time for a Academic Technology Approval Scheme application to be processed was in the last 12 months.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Most Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) applications are straight forward and 98% of applications during the past year were processed within 30 working days. Between 1 January 2025 to 13 November 2025, the Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office received 33,945 ATAS applications. 670 of those applications were delayed beyond 30 working days.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many outstanding applications for Academic Technology Approval Scheme applications have waited for longer than 30 working days.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Most Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) applications are straight forward and 98% of applications during the past year were processed within 30 working days. Between 1 January 2025 to 13 November 2025, the Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office received 33,945 ATAS applications. 670 of those applications were delayed beyond 30 working days.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 impact of the Child Nutrition Fund on nutrition outcomes for women, children and new-borns in Nigeria.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer she was provided on 14 March in response to Question 35278.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 support international efforts to (a) document and (b) preserve evidence of atrocities committed in (i) El Fasher and (ii) other parts of Sudan; and whether she is providing (A) technical and (B) financial support to organisations engaged in such documentation.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the responses provided during the Urgent Question debates on Sudan on 30 October and 5 November.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the current average waiting time for Academic Technology Approval Scheme applications to be processed is.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Most Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) applications are straight forward and 98% of applications during the past year were processed within 30 working days. Between 1 January 2025 to 13 November 2025, the Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office received 33,945 ATAS applications. 670 of those applications were delayed beyond 30 working days.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to introduce further targeted sanctions on (a) individuals, (b) entities and (c) businesses involved in sustaining armed conflict in Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the responses provided during the Urgent Question debates on Sudan on 30 October and 5 November.