Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when a meeting of the Royal Visits Committee was held to agree that an invitation for a state visit should be offered to President Trump, which members of the Committee were present at that meeting, and whether they will publish the minutes of that meeting.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
His Majesty will only extend a State Visit invitation following a formal recommendation from the Prime Minister. The Royal Visits Committee (RVC) provides advice to the Prime Minister, drawing on views from across HM Government.
The disclosure of RVC meeting minutes could potentially impact the bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and the countries concerned. This would reduce the UK government's ability to protect and promote UK interests internationally.
Officials also need to be free to make and provide advice in an environment which maintains trust and confidence with the RVC membership and the decision-making process itself.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - 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 3 April (HL6029), what are the names of the current members of the Royal Visits Committee.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As answered in PQ HL6029, the membership of the Royal Visits Committee is chaired by the Permanent Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and consists of senior representatives from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Royal Households, No.10, Department for Business and Trade and the Cabinet Office.
We will not be disclosing individual names because officials need to be free to discuss and provide advice in an environment which maintains trust and confidence in the decision-making process.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - 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 11 March (HL5400), whether they will publish the membership of the Royal Visit Committee.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Royal Visits Committee is chaired by the Permanent Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and consists of senior representatives from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Royal Households, No.10, Department for Business and Trade and the Cabinet Office.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate, if any, they have made of the cost of the proposed State visit to the UK by President Trump.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has not made an estimate of the cost of the visit. President Trump received His Majesty's invitation for a State Visit last week and HMG will welcome him in due course. Further information about the State visit will be announced via the usual process.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what procedures there are within Government to sign off the issuing of an invitation for a State visit to the UK before that invitation is extended.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government's recommendations for State Visits are discussed at the Royal Visit Committee. These are then endorsed by the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister before being presented to His Majesty The King for formal approval.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Commonwealth countries is on the agenda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Samoa.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), Commonwealth leaders will discuss upholding the human rights and freedoms of all Commonwealth citizens. In Samoa, I will be speaking at multiple events including at the launch of The Commonwealth Equality Network's (TCEN) Shadow CHOGM report, and at a plenary session on intersectional leadership where I will be advocating for the decriminalisation of homosexuality in all Commonwealth countries.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made any representations to the government of South Sudan about the death of Christopher Allen in 2017 following the publication in March 2024 of the report by the South Sudan Investigation Committee into his death.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK consistently pressed the Government of South Sudan to conduct a thorough and credible investigation into the death of Christopher Allen which resulted in the formation of the South Sudan Investigative Committee in 2023. We continue to press the Government of South Sudan to ensure protection of journalists and humanitarian workers. We champion the importance of media freedom and civil space, including urging the government to hold to account those who abuse or restrict media freedom.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Uganda's compatibility with being a member of the Commonwealth in the light of that country's opposition to LGBT rights, including its Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
The UK Government is appalled that the Government of Uganda signed the deeply discriminatory Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 into law. Issues around membership and the Commonwealth Charter are addressed by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG). The UK is not currently a member of CMAG.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Ghana concerning its Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, which criminalises homosexuality; and what assessment they have made of Ghana's continued membership of the Commonwealth in the light of that Bill.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
The UK is deeply concerned that Ghana's Parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill. The UK routinely encourages Ghana to confirm its opposition to all forms of discrimination and uphold the human rights provisions enshrined in Ghana's Constitution, the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the African Charter and the values and principles of the Commonwealth. The Foreign Secretary, Ministers and senior officials have expressed these concerns, including during Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell's visit to Ghana in February 2024 and his meeting with the Ghanaian High Commissioner to the UK in March. We are working through our options for responding should the Bill become law. Issues around membership and the Commonwealth Charter are addressed by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG). The UK is not currently a member of CMAG.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Uganda concerning the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023; and what steps they are taking to protect LGBT people living in Uganda.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
Following the signing of the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 into law, the Minister of State (Development and Africa) released a statement setting out our strong opposition to the Act. Both the Foreign Secretary and the Minister of State (Development and Africa) reaffirmed this position on 3 April, following the Ugandan Constitutional Court's judgment to uphold all but four sections of the Act. The Minister of State (Development and Africa) met the Ugandan Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs on 3 April, underlining the importance of ensuring that people are free from persecution, regardless of sexuality. We will continue our consistent support to the human rights of LGBT+ people, and all Ugandans.