Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when a minister last met with the President of Zimbabwe, and what was the outcome of that meeting.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I met with President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House in Harare on June 11. During this meeting I reaffirmed the UK's commitment to building a respectful, modern partnership with Zimbabwe, with a strong focus on delivering mutually beneficial economic growth including on trade and investment, energy and climate. I also underlined that the UK remains committed to engaging in Zimbabwe's arrears clearance dialogue and encouraged progress on the three tracks, which include governance reforms.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the UK–Morocco Joint Communiqué of 1 June and the agreement to internal autonomy for the Western Sahara, whether they now recognise Moroccan sovereignty over the territory; and whether that is compatible with their vote for United Nations Security Council Resolution 1754 which endorsed the right of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 1 June, the Foreign Secretary endorsed Morocco's autonomy proposal as the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for a lasting resolution of the Western Sahara conflict. The UK's position on the legal status of Western Sahara has not changed. We are clear that any solution to the conflict must be mutually agreed by the parties. The UK continues to support the parties and the UN to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution, based on compromise, which conforms with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including the principle of respect for self-determination. The UK will encourage dialogue and compromise with the aim of achieving a peaceful and mutually agreed resolution that upholds the dignity and rights of the people of Western Sahara and contributes to long-term regional stability.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government on what grounds they have removed sanctions against Owen Ncube, Isaac Moyo, Godwin Matanga, Anselem Sanyatwe and Zimbabwe Defence Industries.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK regularly reviews its sanctions designations. The four individuals removed from the UK Sanctions list are no longer in the positions held when they were designated in 2021. The revocations follow a similar move from the European Union in February 2025, when they delisted their last remaining entity (ZDI) whilst renewing their existing Zimbabwe sanctions framework. The US also removed a number of designations in March 2024.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much they contributed to the BBC World Service in each of the past two years; and what percentage of that organisation's cost they contributed in each of the past two years.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
In Financial Year 2023/2024, the government contribution to the World Service was £104.4 million. The Licence Fee contribution was £265 million, so we provided 28.3 per cent of the budget. In 2024-2025, the government provided £104.4 million of the budget, and in 2025-2026 we will provide £137 million - an uplift of over 31 per cent. The BBC will not publish the final Licence Fee contribution and total World Service budget for 2024/2025 until the summer, so we cannot provide the percentage calculation.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the finding in the United Nations document Moving Forward, Whilst Looking Back: Reflections on the Effective Implementation of the Genocide Convention, published in 2024, that the signatories of the Genocide Convention failed to look beyond geopolitical factors with regard to the protection needs of the Isaaq people; and what steps they will take to work with international partners to prevent similar failings in future.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has made note of the findings of the United Nations document Moving Forward, Whilst Looking Back: Reflections on the Effective Implementation of the Genocide Convention. As a party to the Convention, the UK is fully committed to the prevention and punishment of genocide under the Convention. To fulfil its duty to prevent under the Genocide Convention, the Government adopts a consolidated, whole-of-government effort, using our diplomatic, development, defence and law enforcement capabilities, to help find pathways to global peace and stability. Where we see immediate risks of atrocities, we take diplomatic steps to highlight our concerns: bilaterally with the countries concerned and with regional neighbours, and multilaterally through international organisations.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Chris Mburu Past Human Rights Abuses in Somalia: Report of a Preliminary Study Conducted for the United Nations, published in 2002; and what assessment they have made of its recommendations following the Isaaq genocide.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is aware of the findings of the report 'Past Human Rights Abuses in Somalia: Report of a Preliminary Study Conducted for the United Nations', by Chris Mburu, published in 2002. The UK is committed to improving respect for human rights in Somalia, including Somaliland, which is crucial to building a more secure, democratic and prosperous Somalia. It is the long-standing policy of the British Government that any judgement as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much was paid for membership to (1) the United Nations, (2) the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and (3) the Council of Europe, in each of the past two years; and what percentage of those organisations' costs the UK contributed in each of the past two years.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is one of the top contributors to the UN regular budget, contributing USD 137 million (~3.991 per cent of the USD 3.72 billion total) in 2025. In 2024, the UK was responsible for 4.375 per cent of the Regular Budget (USD 137.8 million). Taken together with contributions to the UN Peacekeeping budget, the UK has the 5th highest assessed contribution among Member States. The UK is also one of the four principal financial contributors the Council of Europe. In 2025, the UK contributed EUR 48 million, up from EUR 45 million in 2024. This represents 11.7 per cent of the Council's (approximately) EUR 414.4 million budget for Member States' obligatory contributions. The UK's contribution to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has remained stable across 2024 and 2025 at a 10.3 per cent share, equivalent to EUR 14,276,010.40.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the African Union's report Fact-Finding Mission to Somaliland (30 April to 4 May 2005).
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is aware of the findings of the African Union's Fact-Finding Mission to Somaliland from 2005. The UK, alongside others in the international community, including the African Union, does not recognise Somaliland's unilateral declaration of independence. We believe that the settlement of Somaliland's status is an issue for authorities in Mogadishu and Hargeisa to decide through a consultative process and dialogue.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential effect of recognising Somaliland’s statehood for promoting security in the Gulf of Aden so that international partners can enter bilateral security treaties with Somaliland.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK, alongside others in the international community, does not recognise Somaliland's unilateral declaration of independence. We believe that the settlement of Somaliland's status is an issue for authorities in Mogadishu and Hargeisa to decide through a consultative process and dialogue.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have had discussions with (1) victims of IRA terrorism, and (2) their legal representatives, about compensation to them being provided from frozen Libyan assets held in the UK.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government has profound sympathy for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism and indeed for all victims of the Troubles. It also takes issues relating to victims of terrorism very seriously. The UK's stance regarding victims of Qadhafi-sponsored Irish Republican Army (IRA) terrorism is that it is the Libyan State's responsibility to provide compensation. We will continue to urge Libyan authorities to address the Libyan State's historic responsibility for the Qadhafi regime's support of the IRA. The Minister for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan has recently written to some of the victims and their families, and intends to meet to hear their perspectives on the Government's policy on the issue of compensation being provided from frozen Libyan assets in the UK. The Government is committed to a constructive and collaborative engagement with those affected.