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, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the legal options available for (a) sanctioning and (b) prosecuting Russian officials involved in the forced (i) abduction and (ii) deportation of Ukrainian children.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are playing our full part in international efforts to reunite these children with their families. On 3 September 2025, we announced a fourth round of sanctions targeting those attempting to forcibly deport and indoctrinate Ukrainian children. We do not comment on any potential future designations as to do so could lessen their impact. We welcome the progress the International Criminal Court is making in its active investigation, including the issuing of arrest warrants for individuals connected to the forced deportation of children. Legal action alone will not bring Ukrainian children home. We are also supporting efforts to return and rehabilitate forcibly deported children.
I have regularly discussed this issue with ministerial counterparts most recently with European counterparts at the Gymnich in Copenhagen on 29 and 30 August. We also welcome the strong emphasis the United States has placed on this issue including the efforts of the First Lady.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with Prime Minister Ramgoolam of Mauritius on the UK’s (a) right to unilaterally extend and (b) authority to exercise sovereign rights over Diego Garcia for the duration of the lease.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have been clear and consistent regarding the duration of the treaty. The treaty will last for an initial 99 years and may be extended for a further 40 years (and beyond) by agreement between the UK and Mauritius.
Even if no agreement is reached, the UK will have the right to first refusal on the use of Diego Garcia which, if exercised, would prevent the use of the base by any other party.
Under the terms of the agreement, the UK will exercise all rights and authorities which are required for the long-term, secure and effective operation of the base.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Mauritian counterpart on the potential merits of UK representation on the board of the Chagossian Trust Fund for British Chagossians.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have committed to capitalise a Trust Fund for the benefit of Chagossians, and are engaging with Mauritius on the design and parameters of the Fund, including potential UK representation on its Board. The Government has committed to update the House on the operation of the Trust Fund before ratification of the Treaty.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department holds information on the demographic breakdown of people who engaged with the Travel Aware methanol poisoning campaign between November 2024 and March 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) does not hold demographic data on individuals who engaged with the Travel Aware campaigns, including the methanol poisoning campaign. While the campaign generates engagement metrics in aggregate form - such as reach and interaction rates - these do not include breakdowns by age, gender, nationality, or other demographic categories. Between 28 November 2024 and 6 March 2025, the FCDO's methanol related social media posts received a total of 41,103 views.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to ensure safe passage for students in Gaza due to commence university programmes in the UK.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are working urgently to support Chevening Scholars in Gaza who have offers from British universities to leave and take up their places in the UK. The Government is working through options on how best to support other students with scholarships to take up their places at UK universities this academic year, in the context of an extremely challenging situation on the ground in Gaza.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will set red lines in relation to the Israeli government’s (a) actions in and (b) policies on Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since day one, this Government has been clear that we need to see an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, better protection of civilians, significantly more aid consistently entering Gaza, and a path to long term peace and stability. We have been clear that if the Government of Israel does not take substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, we will take further action in response. On 29 July, the Prime Minister said that the UK would recognise the State of Palestine in September unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a Two State Solution.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Israeli Government in response to proposals to forcibly relocate the Palestinian population of Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have been clear: Palestinian territory must not be reduced in the conduct of this war, and we do not support the forced displacement of people. Palestinian civilians must be permitted to return to their communities and rebuild their lives. We are appalled by Minister Katz's comments on creating a new "humanitarian city" and displacing the population of Gaza to Rafah. Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich has spoken of Palestinians "being relocated to third countries". We condemn this in the strongest possible terms. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Israel's Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 24 August, and we continue to press this issue with the Israeli Government.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterparts on recent military strikes in (a) Syria and (b) Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to urge the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The Foreign Secretary spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 23 August to press for the restoration of humanitarian access in Gaza and to raise serious concerns about the impact of military operations on civilians. We continue to call on Israel to respect Syria's territorial integrity and address security threats through diplomatic means. The Government wants to see a peaceful, secure and stable Syria for the Syrian people. Diplomacy, not hostility, is the best way of achieving this. The UK will continue to pursue a positive future for Syria and the region and we are urging Israel to do the same.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent progress he has made in developing a new strategy for children in armed conflict.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The latest UN Secretary General's report on Children and Armed Conflict is shocking. It shows that children are being harmed and denied lifesaving aid on an unprecedented scale.
In the UN Security Council, the UK has called on all parties to armed conflict to immediately end and prevent grave violations against children, and for perpetrators to be held to account. The UK remains committed to promoting and defending the UN's Children and Armed Conflict mandate.
We are engaging with stakeholders to assess the effectiveness of our current approach.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help ensure that Israel facilitates the safe delivery of humanitarian aid at the scale needed to alleviate starvation in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The famine in Gaza City and the surrounding neighbourhood, as confirmed by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), is utterly horrifying and is wholly preventable. On 12 August, the UK led 32 international partners in drawing attention to the unfolding famine in Gaza while urging Israel to allow large-scale access for the UN, international NGOs, and humanitarian partners.
As the Foreign Secretary said in his statement on 22 August, the IPC report outlines the sickening reality created by Israel's restrictions on aid, especially for children; he called on the Government of Israel to act immediately to stop the situation deteriorating further. On 23 August, the Foreign Secretary pressed Foreign Minister Sa'ar on the IPC's confirmation of famine in Gaza and urged for all restrictions on aid to be lifted.
We will continue to coordinate international efforts to press Israel to alleviate starvation in Gaza.