Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Civil Commission report Silenced No More, published in May, on sexual violence by Hamas on 7 October 2023.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington

We are aware of the Civil Commission report, and we continue to condemn unequivocally the barbaric acts of murder, terrorism and sexual violence carried out by Hamas on 7 October, and the appalling cruelty and abuse endured by their hostages. Alongside our international partners, we are clear that Hamas must no longer pose a threat to Israel's security.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to prevent individuals involved in sexual crimes during the terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas on 7 October 2023 from entering the United Kingdom.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Immigration Rules provide for the refusal of entry clearance, permission to enter and permission to stay on suitability grounds, including where a person has been convicted of a criminal offence or where a person’s character, conduct or associations mean it is undesirable to allow them to enter or stay in the UK.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to support the prosecution under international law of (1) the leaders, and (2) significant funders, of Hamas, in light of reports of organised sexual violence during the terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas on 7 October 2023.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington

We are aware of the Civil Commission report, and we continue to condemn unequivocally the barbaric acts of murder, terrorism and sexual violence carried out by Hamas on 7 October, and the appalling cruelty and abuse endured by their hostages. Alongside our international partners, we are clear that Hamas must no longer pose a threat to Israel's security.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that sexual and gender-based violence were used as systematic and premeditated instruments of terror during the terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas on 7 October 2023.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington

We are aware of the Civil Commission report, and we continue to condemn unequivocally the barbaric acts of murder, terrorism and sexual violence carried out by Hamas on 7 October, and the appalling cruelty and abuse endured by their hostages. Alongside our international partners, we are clear that Hamas must no longer pose a threat to Israel's security.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to publish their 30by30 delivery plan.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is committed to protecting 30% of land and sea in the UK by 2030 (30by30). Defra officials are developing a 30by30 Delivery Plan for land and inland water areas, which will set out how we will lead, support, and inspire action across England to deliver this vision. Defra will publish the 30by30 Delivery Plan this Summer.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to minimise risks potentially leading to delays in implementing interim targets for (1) assessing, and (2) improving, the condition of England’s Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra published a delivery plan for the interim protected sites target alongside the revised Environmental Improvement Plan published in December 2025. The delivery plan includes a wide range of actions, to 1) assess and 2) improve the condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The 50% of actions on track interim target will actively help improve the condition of SSSIs. Natural England (NE) carries out condition assessments of SSSI features to inform these actions. For the actions to count as being ‘on track’, the feature needs to have an up-to-date assessment and needs an agreed action plan to be underway.

To strengthen delivery Defra now chairs the Major Landowners Group to help drive collective effort. Defra tracks delivery through regular updates from NE and the Environmental Improvement Plan Annual Progress Report. Defra will review the delivery plan and update it as policy and evidence evolve to ensure effective delivery.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to implement interim targets for (1) assessing, and (2) improving, the condition of England’s Sites of Specific Scientific Interest.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra published a delivery plan for the interim protected sites target alongside the revised Environmental Improvement Plan published in December 2025. The delivery plan includes a wide range of actions, to 1) assess and 2) improve the condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The 50% of actions on track interim target will actively help improve the condition of SSSIs. Natural England (NE) carries out condition assessments of SSSI features to inform these actions. For the actions to count as being ‘on track’, the feature needs to have an up-to-date assessment and needs an agreed action plan to be underway.

To strengthen delivery Defra now chairs the Major Landowners Group to help drive collective effort. Defra tracks delivery through regular updates from NE and the Environmental Improvement Plan Annual Progress Report. Defra will review the delivery plan and update it as policy and evidence evolve to ensure effective delivery.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the public finance pledge made in 2021 of £350 million towards forest-related climate finance in Indonesia over a five-year period has been fulfilled in full.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington

The UK  has  met and exceeded the International Climate Finance 3 (ICF 3) nature (£3 billion) sub-target. We will confirm final figures for ICF 3 and sub-targets once our accounts are finalised and audited in line with usual practice for official Government spending data. Individual programme-level spend data will be available on DevTracker in due course.

The UK remains committed to protecting, restoring and sustainably managing tropical forests, and recognises the crucial role they place in mitigating against climate change, preserving biodiversity and supporting livelihoods. Across the Amazon, Congo and Indonesia forest basins, UK ICF programme support is helping countries strengthen forest governance, protecting Indigenous and community land rights, improving forest monitoring, tackling illegal activities driving deforestation, and developing more sustainable land-use and livelihood opportunities.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the public finance pledge made in 2021 of up to £300 million intended towards forest-related climate finance in the Amazon basin over a five-year period has been fulfilled in full.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington

The UK  has  met and exceeded the International Climate Finance 3 (ICF 3) nature (£3 billion) sub-target. We will confirm final figures for ICF 3 and sub-targets once our accounts are finalised and audited in line with usual practice for official Government spending data. Individual programme-level spend data will be available on DevTracker in due course.

The UK remains committed to protecting, restoring and sustainably managing tropical forests, and recognises the crucial role they place in mitigating against climate change, preserving biodiversity and supporting livelihoods. Across the Amazon, Congo and Indonesia forest basins, UK ICF programme support is helping countries strengthen forest governance, protecting Indigenous and community land rights, improving forest monitoring, tackling illegal activities driving deforestation, and developing more sustainable land-use and livelihood opportunities.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the public finance pledge made in 2021 of £1.5 billion towards the forests pledge over a five-year period has been fulfilled in full.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington

The UK  has  met and exceeded the International Climate Finance 3 (ICF 3) nature (£3 billion) sub-target. We will confirm final figures for ICF 3 and sub-targets once our accounts are finalised and audited in line with usual practice for official Government spending data. Individual programme-level spend data will be available on DevTracker in due course.

The UK remains committed to protecting, restoring and sustainably managing tropical forests, and recognises the crucial role they place in mitigating against climate change, preserving biodiversity and supporting livelihoods. Across the Amazon, Congo and Indonesia forest basins, UK ICF programme support is helping countries strengthen forest governance, protecting Indigenous and community land rights, improving forest monitoring, tackling illegal activities driving deforestation, and developing more sustainable land-use and livelihood opportunities.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories on 6 May 2025 (48828), how much of the £200 million towards forest-related climate finance for the Congo Basin was paid over the five-year period from April 2021.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington

At COP26, the UK committed £1.5 billion International Climate Finance (ICF) for forests from April 2021 to March 2026, including £200 million for the Congo Basin (to be delivered between 2021-2029).

Over the first four years of the Congo Basin Pledge (2021-2024) the UK reported total spend of £39,833,393. Total spend for 2025 is not yet finalised. The UK Government publishes detail of ICF programmes through our online resource DevTracker and pledge reports can also be found online for consultation.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the Protected Landscapes duty will be maintained and strengthened.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Protected Landscapes duty is intended to facilitate better outcomes for England’s Protected Landscapes by ensuring relevant authorities ‘seek to further’ their statutory purposes in decision-making. Building on guidance published in December 2024, this Government intends to retain and amend the duty, to provide clearer direction on how it should be implemented.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made on their commitments to support the protection of tropical forests and oceans.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Noble Lord to the answers given to HL1340, HL1341 and HL1342 on 7 July 2026.

The UK remains committed to halting and reversing forest loss and land degradation by 2030. Through programmes and partnerships across the Amazon, Congo and Indonesia forest basins, we support stronger governance, Indigenous Peoples' and local community rights, sustainable trade and finance mobilisation for forest protection.

On oceans, the UK continues to support global marine conservation through initiatives including the Blue Planet Fund, action to advance the 30by30 target, and ratification of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement on 10 July 2026.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much they will provide in funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency in the 2026-27 financial year.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK fully supports United Nations Relief and Works Agency's (UNRWA) indispensable mission. On 30 June the UK announced £23 million to support UNRWA this financial year. The funding will help UNRWA continue delivering essential services for up to 5.9 million Palestine refugees across the region. The funding will also support civilians in Gaza, where humanitarian needs remain acute and families face displacement, food insecurity and limited access to basic services.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether it remains Government policy to transfer ownership of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Noble Lord to my previous answer on 30 July to question HL2205.