Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of changes in levels of (a) maladministration and (b) corruption involved in the onsite distribution of the overseas aid budget between 2020 and 2025.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) actively monitors and manages fraud, bribery, corruption and error risks across its Official Development Assistance (ODA) portfolio through a range of controls, reporting mechanisms and ongoing risk assessments. Available estimates in this area can be found in the section on fraud at pages 167-169 of the FCDO's 2024/25 Annual Report and Accounts, and in equivalent sections in previous years' reports.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2026 to Question 106949 on Oil: Sanctions and with reference to the meeting with Irish Ministers on 3 December 2025, whether she received an offer of support in countering Russian aggression at that meeting.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As stated in my answer to Question 105155, the UK and Ireland are jointly committed to deepening our security and defence cooperation on the full range of threats facing both our countries. That includes countering Russian aggression and supporting Ukraine.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the cost per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent abated as a result of its UK estate Net Zero measures.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Hon Member can find details of all programmes supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), including those related to climate change, at the Development Tracker website on GOV.UK. Where available, details of additional expenditure incurred in meeting the FCDO's net zero commitments is set out in the department's annual report and accounts.
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 recent assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of Russia’s military presence in Belarus.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given on 1 December 2025 to Questions 92971-73.
Belarus continues to support Russia's aggression towards Ukraine, including the stationing of Oreshnik missiles on its soil, and we remain clear that Belarus must end that support and return to compliance with international law.
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 she is taking to help support independent media and political prisoners in Belarus.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given on 1 December 2025 to Questions 92971-73.
Belarus continues to support Russia's aggression towards Ukraine, including the stationing of Oreshnik missiles on its soil, and we remain clear that Belarus must end that support and return to compliance with international law.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
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 adequacy of current visa arrangements for UK law graduates seeking (a) training contracts or (b) early-career experience in EU member states.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
UK nationals travelling for the purposes of taking up work or providing a service in a Member State will need a visa and/or work permit to work in most EU countries. While the visa policy of EU Member States is a matter for those countries, the Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will reply to the letter of 7 November 2025 on Christianity in the Holy Land from the hon. Member for East Wiltshire and the hon. Member for and Lancaster and Wyre.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We will announce further details in the near future of the 12 March conference to help establish an International Peace Fund for Israel and Palestine, including attendees, and I thank the Hon Member for her constructive proposals. On her letter of 7 November 2025, I apologise for the delay in responding, and I will ensure that a reply is with her shortly.
Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will set out how her Department assesses peace initiatives relating to Gaza, including on the cessation of violence, lifting of blockades, and protection of civilian infrastructure.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to supporting the delivery of the 20-point peace plan for Gaza, endorsed by the United Nations Security Council on 17 November 2025. We continue to monitor the situation in Gaza closely, alongside our international partners.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
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 impact of the Board of Peace on Palestinian self determination and statehood.
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.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the letter from the Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to the Rt hon Member for Basildon and Billericay on 24 July 2025, whether the application of the Civil Service and Diplomatic Code applies to political appointees.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Yes. Where such appointments are made, individuals are appointed on a standard Civil Service Fixed Term Contract and are subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Code.