Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster on 15 September (HL2938), whether representatives of the British High Commission in Lusaka have established (1) where the Right Reverend Dr Trevor Mwamba is being held, (2) his condition and treatment, and (3) whether he has regular access to his legal representatives; and, if not, whether they will seek that information from the government of Zambia.
Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our British High Commission in Lusaka engages frequently with the Zambian government and other stakeholders. We emphasise the importance of transparency and the following of due process, including in relation to the detention of Bishop Trevor Mwamba and others.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster on 15 September (HL2937), what information they have received concerning the factual basis for the treason charge brought against the Right Reverend Dr Trevor Mwamba; whether they have sought specific assurances that he will receive due process and a fair and prompt trial; and what response they have received.
Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our British High Commission in Lusaka engages frequently with the Zambian government and other stakeholders. We emphasise the importance of transparency and the following of due process, including in relation to the detention of Bishop Trevor Mwamba and others.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster on 15 September (HL2936), whether their engagements with the government of Zambia have included representations specifically concerning the detention of, and treason charge against, the Right Reverend Dr Trevor Mwamba; and, if so, when those representations were made, and at what level.
Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our British High Commission in Lusaka engages frequently with the Zambian government and other stakeholders. We emphasise the importance of transparency and the following of due process, including in relation to the detention of Bishop Trevor Mwamba and others.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report from the former officials of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons that they have evidence of use of chemical weapons in the war in Sudan; and whether they intend to raise this in the UN Security Council.
Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of recent media reporting of alleged chemical weapons use in Sudan and are reviewing the allegations carefully. The UK takes any alleged breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention very seriously. Sudan is a State Party to the Chemical Weapons Convention and we expect all those in Sudan to abide by the prohibition on developing, producing, possessing, transferring or using chemical weapons. We have consistently raised serious concerns about allegations of chemical weapon use in Sudan, including at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and will continue to do so. Officials have also raised this specific report with representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces and urged Sudan to conclude its investigation into the allegations and report back to the OPCW.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many British citizens are awaiting compensation for the seizure of their land by the government of Zimbabwe.
Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government does not hold comprehensive information on the number of British citizens awaiting compensation following the seizure of land in Zimbabwe. Responsibility for compensating those affected by Zimbabwe's Fast Track Land Reform Programme rests with the Government of Zimbabwe.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance and information they have published regarding UK charities donating to causes in other countries regarding what information they require to be reported back to prove that the funds have been correctly allocated and used; and where UK charities can seek further information on this matter.
Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Ensuring the correct use of charitable funds is a matter for charity trustees and the Charity Commission, guidance around due diligence on the end use of funds can be found on the Charity Commission website.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster on 14 September (HL2941), whether any of their engagements with the government of Zambia have included a specific request for a prompt, independent, and impartial investigation into the death of Mutotwe Kafwaya; and, if so, what response they received.
Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our British High Commission in Lusaka engages frequently with the Zambian government and other stakeholders, urging transparency and the following of due process, including in relation to the death of Mutotwe Kafwaya. Further meetings are being arranged.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment has been made of the response by the government of Mauritius to the MV Wakashio oil spill of 2020; and what records they hold of any assessment of this matter conducted in connection with negotiations over the future of the British Indian Ocean Territory, up to and including the date of this question.
Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Following the MV Wakashio oil spill, Mauritius undertook a review of its National Oil Spill Contingency Plan, drawing on lessons identified from the incident. The review was supported by international partners, including the UNDP and technical experts, and was intended to strengthen national preparedness and response arrangements for future oil-spill incidents. This was one of a range of factors considered by the Government in connection to the future environmental protection of the British Indian Ocean Territory during negotiations with Mauritius.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department’s (a) Permanent Secretary and (b) Ministers have had correspondence with Flint Global since July 2024.
Answered by Uma Kumaran - Assistant Whip
I can confirm that the Permanent Under-Secretary and the Minister of State, Stephen Doughty, have had correspondence with Flint Global in the course of routine engagement.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 31 October 2025 (HL10877), whether they still regard ending the Palestinian Authority's payments to prisoners and to the families of those killed while carrying out attacks against Israelis as a precondition for full diplomatic relations with a Palestinian state; and what assessment they have made of the statement made by a released Palestinian prisoner, Khaled Abu Amsha, on official Palestinian Authority television that ending such payments would undermine recruitment to future attacks against Israelis.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A reformed Palestinian Authority (PA) is essential to long-term stability in the region and progressing towards a two-state solution. We welcome the Palestinian Authority's commitment, underlined in the UK-PA Memorandum of Understanding, to reform prisoner payments so that welfare payments are based on needs and not linked to acts of violence. The audit has been completed. We await full publication of the audit so that this can be verified.