Mediation, Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding

Earl of Courtown Excerpts

Thursday 29th October 2026 Lords Chamber

[The Earl of Courtown (Con)]

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale, for initiating this important debate and all noble Lords for their contributions.

Throughout the debate, a number of points appealed to me and struck a chord. Funnily enough, it was noble the Baroness, Lady Chapman, who talked about trust and her predecessor, my noble friend Lord Ahmad, who talked about relationships. We are talking about smart power, regional ownership, local peacebuilders and the importance of moving quickly on mediation when conflict occurs. However, none of this will proceed unless there is the political will for it to succeed. This debate has looked at how the contributions from different sectors can push more mediation and prevention of global conflict.

We live in an increasingly dangerous world. It has been said many times in this debate, but in a debate such as this it is right that we reflect on the conflicts that we are seeing all over the world, as noble Lords have, whether in Sudan, the Holy Land, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iran, Myanmar, Pakistan, Afghanistan or the Philippines. It seems almost that wherever we look there is conflict, as many noble Lords, including the noble Lord, Lord McConnell, and my noble friend Lord Bates have said: 2025 saw 65 active state-based conflicts across 35 countries, the highest number recorded since 1946. There are many more places in the world today in tension to an extent that threatens conflict. The appalling scenes in Ceuta earlier this year showed the threat that illegal migration poses to countries across the world. In France, internal disorder has seen the mass destruction of livelihoods and public buildings. Every one of us wants to see order and peace in every part of the world. His Majesty’s Government should continue to use all the diplomatic tools available to work towards that goal.

The noble Lord, Lord McConnell, has highlighted the importance of mediation in his Motion today, and we are particularly well placed as a nation to support mediation. We are a nation that respects the rule of law and is known the world over for our respect for fairness and, as other noble Lords have said, for our Diplomatic Service. But Britain today does not have the global reach it once had, and we must reflect on that. Can the Minister, when he replies to this debate, comment on the reality of Britain’s role in our increasingly unstable world and say what specific steps his department is taking to promote peace and an end to conflict across the world? In particular, can he say what work his department is doing towards a stable and long-lasting two-state solution in Israel and Palestine?

As a member state, Britain supports the work of the United Nations in promoting peace and stability through its Peacebuilding Commission, the Peacebuilding Fund and the Peacebuilding and Peace Support Office. I understand that this structure has recently been reviewed. Can the Minister say whether the United Kingdom fed into that review process and, if yes, what submissions did we make? I would also be grateful if the Minister could comment on the broader challenges faced by the UN, not least as a result of the fact that Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, is pursuing an illegal war in Ukraine, and what His Majesty’s Government’s position is on that.

The UK has contributed £630 million per year in funding for the UN for the last decade. Can Minister say whether the Government intend to continue that level of contribution or increase it? Further to that, can he say what work his department is doing to ensure that funding is going to the right places? We have all followed with interest the controversy surrounding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Can Minister update the House on the Government’s assessment of the situation at UNRWA? But mediation after conflict has begun is not enough. Constant engagement, rebuilding and trade across cultural divides has an important role to play. Can the Minister say what work Ministers are doing to promote constructive engagement between nations in conflict areas across the world?

The harsh truth is that, when conflict occurs, there is often a call for more direct intervention. Peace cannot always be achieved through mediation and international co-operation alone. We saw that in Sierra Leone, where a total of nearly 4,500 British personnel were deployed in-country. We must not forget that five dedicated British military personnel lost their lives in that conflict. We saw it again in the Balkans, where tens of thousands of British troops served as part of the NATO-led peacekeeping mission. A total of 72 British Armed Forces personnel have died as a result of those operations in the Balkans, including in Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Kosovo and Serbia, since 1992. We should remember their service too.

Diplomacy is essential but, without hard power, as mentioned by other noble Lords, Britain cannot play a full role alongside our international allies and partners. That is why defence spending is so important and why it was disappointing to hear the Chancellor of the Exchequer fail yesterday to set out a clear plan to hit the 3% of GDP spending target on defence. The Budget was in many ways an exercise in avoiding the tough decisions that we expect Ministers to tackle, and that was true on defence. Not only are we still waiting for the 3% spending plan, but the Chancellor has been accused of stealth cuts to the defence budget by diverting pensions savings to the Treasury rather than the defence budget.

The situation we are in on defence spending sends the wrong message to our allies, and it is important to get that message right. Overall, this debate has been really informative. It has given much food for thought and I look forward to the Minister’s response.

Healthcare Development: International Partnerships

Earl of Courtown Excerpts

Thursday 17th September 2026 Grand Committee

[The Earl of Courtown (Con)]

My Lords, I join other noble Lords in thanking the noble Lord, Lord Crisp, for securing this important debate on what the NHS can learn from partnerships with hospitals in Africa and Asia. It was particularly interesting to hear his description of the situation in Myanmar, and I learnt much from the noble Lord’s speech.

I should also declare an interest, like the right reverend Prelate. My daughter did her elective in Kerala, India, and she spent a year after the pandemic teaching at Warwick Medical School. She was only too aware of the importance of British doctors—people living in England—actually going to help and teach people coming from overseas, and of course there is much evidence of that at Warwick Medical School.

As the noble Lord, Lord Crisp, said, we are a leader in this field. Partnerships between the NHS and healthcare providers abroad have been recognised as mutually beneficial by successive Governments. Under the coalition Government, Healthcare UK was launched as a joint initiative between the Department of Health, the NHS Commissioning Board and UK Trade & Investment to increase the profile of UK expertise in healthcare and the trade in healthcare goods and products overseas.

Indeed, successive Conservative-led Governments provided funding for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Governments have also signed agreements on healthcare with India and Kenya, and the previous Government published the two-year global health framework in 2023. All this work has helped to strengthen the UK’s reputation internationally as a global leader in healthcare. That is a reputation that has been hard won, and we will support the Government where they seek to improve healthcare provided through the NHS. We will work with Ministers to deliver these improved outcomes.

This is slightly outside the Minister’s brief, but for these arrangements and partnerships to work, we need a functioning NHS. Unfortunately, as all noble Lords will be aware, the NHS has too often been brought to a standstill by industrial action, with patients bearing the costs. Can the Minister briefly say what Ministers are doing to protect patients from the damaging effects of strike action in future?

Turning back to international partnerships between the NHS and healthcare services, can the Minister say what particular efforts are being made to engage with healthcare providers in Africa in the light of the ongoing Ebola outbreak? It would be useful for the Committee to hear what the Minister can say on this issue. I was also particularly interested to hear the report from the noble Lord, Lord Oates, of his time in South Africa and Zimbabwe. The fact is that partnerships help places experiencing so much undue suffering very much; it was interesting to hear about the noble Lord’s connections there.

Once again, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Crisp, for bringing this debate forward. I look forward to hearing the Minister’s reply.

Nepal: Flooding

Earl of Courtown Excerpts

Tuesday 1st September 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Wood of Anfield (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for that example; I do join her in that. Like other noble Lords, I have been struck by the extraordinary human stories over the past week. I think it is worth saying again that we can only imagine the horror and terror of family members who have no idea where their family members are at this moment. It is a tragedy that is full of extraordinary heroism, but also deep horror and confusion, and I am glad that the UK Government are playing their part in supporting as much as possible.

[The Earl of Courtown (Con)]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his contributions and his update on this devastating event that happened in Nepal. I also join other noble Lords in sending our condolences to the families of the victims and our support for those responding, whether as part of our diplomatic service or from other countries, and the Nepalese people. However, we have heard a lot about what has been happening in Nepal, but I wonder whether the Minister can contribute a little more about what is actually happening in Tibet and under the Chinese authorities. Are there any British nationals who are facing difficulties there, and have we any idea of the number of British nationals in that part of the world?

[Lord Wood of Anfield (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for that statement, which I agree with, and for raising the issue of China. This has been discussed as a Nepalese issue but, as we know, partly because of the pilgrimage that a lot of people were on, this is a passage that goes across the Nepalese and Chinese border. To give an update on numbers, we have 36 British people currently unaccounted for. We are working with the Chinese authorities as well as the Nepalese authorities. It would be unfair to say anything more about the individual cases of British nationals, but those are the cases that the British consular authorities and British support are catering to at the moment.

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Visit

Earl of Courtown Excerpts

Tuesday 29th April 2025 Lords Chamber

[The Earl of Courtown (Con)]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for repeating the Statement and I welcome the meeting held yesterday between the Government and Prime Minister Mustafa. We on these Benches are clear that an effective Palestinian Authority is vital for lasting peace and progress towards a two-state solution in the region. The Palestinian people deserve the dignity and stability that statehood can bring, and there should be a negotiated settlement leading, as affirmed by the Minister, to a two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.

I welcome the efforts made by the Government to continue the work of the previous Government in reaching this outcome. I note the memorandum of understanding signed by the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister Mustafa, which enshrined their commitment to advancing Palestinian statehood as part of a two-state solution. Building and maintaining rapport with partners in the Palestinian Authority is essential, but we need to make sure that the recognition of a Palestinian state comes at a time that is most conducive to the peace process. Recognition cannot be the start of the process. Hamas is still being fought in parts of Gaza, and Israeli hostages remain in captivity. Ensuring that Hamas is no longer in charge of Gaza and removing its capacity to launch attacks against Israel are essential and unavoidable steps on the road to a lasting peace. Does the Minister agree with this position? Does she see recognition as the culmination of a process rather than its beginning?

In the immediate term, we must prioritise getting the hostages out and getting more aid in. That is crucial for making progress towards a sustainable end to the current conflict. The previous Government produced clear proposals for getting aid into affected areas and put them to the Government of Israel. They included the delivery of aid through Ashdod and Erez, as well as Kerem Shalom and the Jordan land corridor. Israel made a number of significant and welcome commitments on these points, as well as on approving further forms of aid, but fulfilment of those commitments is vital. Will the Minister please update the House on what discussions His Majesty’s Government are having with partners in Israel to ensure that these obligations are met?

We are clear that Hamas cannot ever have influence in Gaza again. It is therefore important that the Palestinian Authority commits to undertake serious, measurable and tangible reforms on education, welfare policy and democracy to strengthen resilience against this threat in the future. Will the Minister update the House on what work the Government are doing with Palestinian Authority to advance progress in these areas? Can she assure us that these are discussed in talks with partners in the authority? Progress on this issue needs a collaborative approach and we are also clear that, just as the Palestinian Authority must act, so must Israel. That means releasing frozen funds, halting settlement expansion and holding to account those responsible for extremist settler violence.

We want to see a sustainable end to the conflict in Gaza, the release of the hostages and more done to get humanitarian aid to innocent Palestinian civilians. We welcome the steps taken by the Government to work with the Palestinian Authority and hope that they will continue our work to reach a lasting solution and a future in which Hamas will never have a place.

[Baroness Janke (LD)]

My Lords, we too welcome the meeting of the UK Government with the Palestinian Prime Minister Mustafa and his colleagues. We also welcome the memorandum of understanding, and the restatement of commitment to the two-state solution and the involvement of the Palestinian Authority in the future of Gaza, as well as the strategic partnership based on economic development and institutional reform. This is a forward-looking development. It does, however, raise some questions, particularly of commitment. What discussions have the UK Government had with the United States on the centrality of Palestinian involvement in the future of Gaza? In the light of the remarks made by President Trump, it does not look to be a very deliverable proposal.

The atrocities being committed in Gaza on civilians, many of them women and children, together with the systematic destruction of the health system, continue to shock the world. There is no fully functioning hospital in Gaza despite the indiscriminate bombing and shooting of Palestinians and the devastating injuries that result. Can the Minister say whether future progress on the memorandum of understanding may require the UK to stop arming Israel to carry out indiscriminate killing and destruction in Gaza?

What commitment did the UK Government make to Prime Minister Mustafa to do all in their power to end the blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza, where, after 50 days of blockade, supplies have run out and civilians, including large numbers of children, are starving to death, even though supplies of crucial food and water are readily available over the border. [Interruption.] I hear that I am being heckled from a sedentary position. I believe that this is not in order in this House. We heard reports from the humanitarian agencies in Gaza that there is not even enough water to make formula food for babies, and that babies are dying as well. The noble Lord may shake his head; if he has evidence to the contrary, I would like to see it.

In the light of the deliberations of the ICJ, will the UK Government commit to abiding by the court’s judgment? Commitment to the two-state solution will be worth little if further action of the Israeli Government should be to annex the illegally occupied West Bank. In the light of statements made by Israeli Ministers Smotrich and Ben-Gvir and increasing violence supported by the IDF, what are the UK Government doing to ensure that this does not happen? In the light of the accelerating violence, will the UK sanction further violent settlers?

The Labour manifesto contained a commitment to recognise the Palestinian state, but the Government have so far failed to do so. In 2014, the House of Commons voted to recognise the Palestinian state, and the state of Palestine is recognised as a sovereign state by 148 of the 193 member states of the United Nations, or just over 75% of all UN members. The Government have said that they will recognise Palestine when this is most conducive to a peace process, but if not now, can the Minister say what factors must change for this to happen? We read that France is planning recognition at the June reconstruction conference, and international momentum is now growing. The UK risks missing a crucial moment to support a just resolution and recognise its own responsibility in the history of the current context.

The meeting and its outcome are to be welcomed, but a very significant sign of good faith would be for the UK to recognise the inalienable right of the Palestinians to have their own internationally recognised state and homeland. I hope that the Minister will restate the Government’s commitment on this fundamental principle, and that we will see action on it in the near future.

HIV/AIDS: US Withdrawal from WHO

Earl of Courtown Excerpts

Thursday 20th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

I completely agree. There are encouraging things happening around some of the medical devices and the drugs that can be used now to provide protection against HIV, including devices for which women are in control of their use, because we are seeing an increase in prevalence among women and young girls. There are encouraging things happening, but it would be incredible to stand here and say that the situation that we now find ourselves in is not far more challenging than it has been more recently.

[The Earl of Courtown (Con)]

My Lords, taking into account the withdrawal of the United States from the WHO, can the Minister inform the House how we are working with other international partners to fill that void?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

It is vital that we do that, and we are doing that. I met the executive director of the WHO earlier this week, and that is something we spoke about in some depth. The noble Earl is absolutely right to encourage the Government to take that approach, and we will be doing so.

Belarus: Elections

Earl of Courtown Excerpts

Monday 10th February 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

The World Service is a tremendous asset and I am pleased that, this year, we have been able to secure additional funding for it. We work with it incredibly closely, although it is and will always be fully independent in its decisions about how it operates and its content. It is important that we remember that. It is good to highlight just how vital the work of the World Service is in countering some of the disinformation and misinformation that we see in Belarus and in other parts of the world.

[The Earl of Courtown (Con)]

My Lords, I join the Minister in thanking my noble friend for bringing this important subject to the attention of the House. While I understand that His Majesty’s Government do not comment on the possible imposition of future sanctions, could the Minister say what criteria are used to determine election fraud and human rights abuses in Belarus?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

We have been proactive in this area and have introduced a raft of sanctions that tackle the problems that the noble Earl described. The exact criteria are legal and technical; I will not attempt to get into the details today, but they are all laid out, should the noble Earl wish to examine them more carefully. I would be very happy to brief him properly on this, because sanctions are an important tool when we are combating what has been going on in Belarus.

Moldova: Russian Interference

Earl of Courtown Excerpts

Thursday 6th February 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

It is completely true that every trick in the book was used during the previous elections, and we expect this to happen again. This included vote-buying, voter suppression and bomb threats at polling stations in this country, where Moldovans sought to cast their vote. We are doing everything we can, including, as he says, looking at illicit economies. Our expertise in cybersecurity will be significant in the coming months.

[The Earl of Courtown (Con)]

My Lords, we have also seen reports this week concerning allegations of Russian interference in German politics. Can the Minister confirm whether the Prime Minister discussed the issue of Russian interference in international politics with our European partners during the meetings with EU leaders this week?

Sub-Saharan Africa: Diplomatic Relationships

Earl of Courtown Excerpts

Tuesday 14th January 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

I do not want to spend ODA here in the UK. That money is being spent on housing people who have come here in hotels, and it is costing a fortune to do so. That money ought to be spent on education and humanitarian assistance in countries where it is needed the most. That is how this should be, and that is the situation that the FCDO and the Home Office are working hard to get to. We have committed so far to the 0.5%. What 0.5% equals depends entirely on the size of the economy and, as the economy grows, that 0.5% will be worth an awful lot more. As I said earlier, we want to get to back to 0.7% spend, which we never should have left.

[The Earl of Courtown (Con)]

My Lords, notwithstanding what the Minister has said concerning His Majesty’s Government’s aims and ambitions in sub-Saharan Africa, how are they ensuring that their foreign aid there delivers measurable outcomes and aligns with the Government’s priorities, such as supporting good governance, supporting economic development and tackling corruption?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

The Foreign Secretary’s priorities for this are around growth, security, government and climate. These are things that we are working hard on through our engagement not just with sub-Saharan Africa but in Asia, Latin America and elsewhere. The noble Earl is absolutely right that every penny we spend on official development assistance must be the very best value for money that we can secure—yes, because of fairness to the UK taxpayer, but also because a bad programme funded by ODA means that a good programme somewhere else does not get to take place. The Foreign Secretary is very keen that we make sure that happens. He is reviewing our spend and the effectiveness of programmes, and he is right to do that.

Taipei Representative Office in the United Kingdom

Earl of Courtown Excerpts

Monday 25th November 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Lord is correct to point out our good trading relationship with Taiwan. We do not see this as an either/or. We have a good trading relationship with both China and Taiwan. I can only reiterate the answers given about the visit in the other place and in this Chamber. The characterisation that has been given to this visit is not one that the FCDO recognises.

[The Earl of Courtown (Con)]

My Lords, considering the UK’s commitment to supporting democracies around the world, as mentioned by the noble Lord, Lord Anderson, and the Minister, how are the Government leveraging their relationship with Taiwan to promote the shared values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law in the region?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

We are very keen to promote our values of democracy and the rule of law in the region and elsewhere in the world. I would not say that we are particularly leveraging our relationship with Taiwan. I think it is more important to us than that, and we will promote these values throughout the world whenever we have the opportunity to do so.

COP 29: United Kingdom Delegation

Earl of Courtown Excerpts

Thursday 21st November 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

We are not going to get any improvement in stemming the loss of biodiversity or deforestation without working with indigenous communities. I was very pleased to meet Domingo Peas, the head of Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance, on a recent visit to Ecuador, looking at just this topic. I would be very happy to meet representatives alongside my noble friend.

[The Earl of Courtown (Con)]

My Lords, the Minister, in her initial Answer to my noble friend, talked about outcomes from COP 29 in Baku. Can she outline how these outcomes align with our broader environmental and economic goals?