Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the progress by the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention in its seventh session in December 2025.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK plays an active role in the Working Group on the strengthening of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, and we attach particular importance to the establishment of a Science and Technology Mechanism and an International Cooperation and Assistance Mechanism within the Convention.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many people have come to the UK under the Gaza medical evacuation scheme (1) in the past month and (2) overall, either at public expense or through private funding.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We have supported 50 sick and injured children to leave Gaza and receive treatment in the UK, and have separately supported an initiative by Project Pure Hope to bring several children from Gaza to the UK for privately funded specialist care. The safety, privacy, and wellbeing of these patients and their families remains our absolute priority and we will not be providing further operational details.
We continue to seek the most effective ways to deploy the UK's resources to meet healthcare needs in Gaza and the region. Further announcements on the future of this scheme will be made in the usual way in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to facilitate further evacuations under the Gaza medical evacuation scheme, either at public expense or through private funding; what assessment they have made of obstacles to such evacuations; and what steps they are taking to remove any obstacles.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We have supported 50 sick and injured children to leave Gaza and receive treatment in the UK, and have separately supported an initiative by Project Pure Hope to bring several children from Gaza to the UK for privately funded specialist care. The safety, privacy, and wellbeing of these patients and their families remains our absolute priority and we will not be providing further operational details.
We continue to seek the most effective ways to deploy the UK's resources to meet healthcare needs in Gaza and the region. Further announcements on the future of this scheme will be made in the usual way in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the percentage of companies registered in the British Virgin Islands which are held via a trust or complex legal arrangement; and whether legitimate interest registers will allow for the identification of the ultimate beneficiaries of corporate structures in the British Virgin Islands.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Financial Services, including in relation to information on beneficial ownership, are a devolved matter for the Government of the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Whilst it is not unusual to hold companies through legal arrangements, including Trusts, this Government expects Overseas Territories, including the BVI, to implement accessible registers of beneficial ownership as a way of mitigating the risk that these structures are abused by those seeking to hide illicit gains. The Minister of State, Stephen Doughty wrote to Premier Wheatly on 26 January to reiterate that this Government expects that the BVI's proposals for legitimate interest access registers will uphold the highest possible standards of transparency and demonstrate a clear commitment to openness and robust oversight. This Government's ultimate expectation is that the OTs launch fully public registers of beneficial ownership.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they plan to have at the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and with the government of Saudi Arabia about the government of Saudi Arabia's refusal to ratify the International Atomic Energy Agency's Additional Protocol on enrichment and reprocessing capabilities; and what assessment they have made of the government of Saudi Arabia's intentions regarding nuclear weapons.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Planning for the 2026 Review Conference is underway, including for outreach to a range of States' Parties, and our priority will be to ensure that the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) remains a vital pillar of international peace and security for decades to come. We will also use this Review Conference to underline UK support for the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards regime, including the universalisation of the Additional Protocol (AP). We routinely call on all states to abide by their NPT obligations and for states that have not yet done so to bring an AP into force as soon as possible, including - amongst others - the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the current staffing level of the Mass Atrocity Prevention Hub, and what staffing level they expect that hub to have in 12 months.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK's work on conflict and atrocity prevention is vital and valued around the world.
Created in 2022, the Mass Atrocity Hub was integrated into the Conflict and Atrocity Prevention Department in 2024. It provides analytical and advisory support in a range of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's atrocity prevention and response workstreams.
We will continue to adapt to the challenges of the future and remain focused on this area of work.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Brazil to encourage the protection of the rights and livelihoods of indigenous and traditional peoples.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is committed to supporting Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in Brazil to prevent illegal deforestation. At COP26, we helped mobilise the Forest Tenure Pledge to advance IPLC land and resource rights and we will support its next phase at COP30. We support IPLCs across the Amazon through our Official Development Assistance (ODA) programmes and initiatives. Through the Amazon Catalyst for Forest Communities (AMCAT) programme, we are working in Brazil to strengthen land tenure for IPLCs and Afro-descendants. We also support the REDD Early Movers (REM) programme in the Brazilian States, Mato Grosso and Acre, which includes dedicated support for Indigenous Territories. Additionally, we work with the Brazilian Government through the Intergovernmental Forest Tenure Group and the Forest, Climate and Land Partnership (FCLP) to advance inclusive land tenure reforms.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking, through aid or other support, to ensure the success of efforts to prevent illegal and indiscriminate deforestation in areas in Brazil occupied by indigenous and traditional peoples.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is committed to supporting Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in Brazil to prevent illegal deforestation. At COP26, we helped mobilise the Forest Tenure Pledge to advance IPLC land and resource rights and we will support its next phase at COP30. We support IPLCs across the Amazon through our Official Development Assistance (ODA) programmes and initiatives. Through the Amazon Catalyst for Forest Communities (AMCAT) programme, we are working in Brazil to strengthen land tenure for IPLCs and Afro-descendants. We also support the REDD Early Movers (REM) programme in the Brazilian States, Mato Grosso and Acre, which includes dedicated support for Indigenous Territories. Additionally, we work with the Brazilian Government through the Intergovernmental Forest Tenure Group and the Forest, Climate and Land Partnership (FCLP) to advance inclusive land tenure reforms.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the humanitarian situation in Myanmar following the earthquake on 28 March, the continuing conflict, and the cuts in US and other international aid; and what action they are taking to respond to the humanitarian needs in that country.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK has committed £25 million in life-saving support for people affected by the earthquake in Myanmar. In the six months since the earthquake, UK-funded assistance including lifesaving aid, has reached over one million people, 56 per cent of whom are women and girls, and 154 clinics have been set up with UK funding. Overcoming challenges regarding humanitarian access, the UK continues to deliver aid to the hardest hit areas, directing over 65 per cent of the funding to local organisations on the ground in Myanmar. The UK will continue to support Myanmar with official development assistance (ODA) in the current financial year 2025 to 2026 set to be over £80 million.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the environmental situation in Myanmar on human rights in that country; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the demand for rare earths from Myanmar on the conflict and human rights and humanitarian crisis in that country.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is concerned by reports of "in-situ leaching" of rare earths in Myanmar, which is associated with considerable environmental damage locally and further afield as leaching chemicals enter river systems. Reports of forced displacement around mining operations are equally concerning. All actors in Myanmar have a responsibility to respect human rights, including by protecting the environment. Our Overseas Business Risk Guidance makes clear that UK businesses procuring natural resources in Myanmar should conduct thorough supply chain due diligence to ensure that their intended activities do not contravene sanctions prohibitions and restrictions and that they are not supporting the military or its associated businesses. The UK has sanctioned a number of State Owned Entities involved in extractive industries in Myanmar including Myanmar Mining Enterprise 1 and 2 and the Myanmar Timber Enterprise.