Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will provide a list of the specific terrorism-related offences that currently trigger an automatic disqualification from serving as a charity trustee or in senior management positions within a charity under the Charities Act 2011; and whether they have plans to align the disqualification criteria for seeking elected public office with these existing standards.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The list of specified offences that trigger automatic disqualification from serving as a charity trustee is available under section 178A of the Charities Act 2011:
Case A: specified offences(1) The following offences are specified for the purposes of Case A—
1. An offence to which Part 4 of the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 applies (see sections 41 to 43 of that Act).
2. An offence under section 13 or 19 of the Terrorism Act 2000 (wearing of uniform etc, and failure to disclose information).
3. A money laundering offence within the meaning of section 415 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
4. An offence under any of the following provisions of the Bribery Act 2010—
section 1 (bribing another person),
section 2 (offences relating to being bribed),
section 6 (bribery of foreign public officials),
section 7 (failure of commercial organisations to prevent bribery).
5. An offence under section 77 of this Act.
6. An offence of—
misconduct in public office,
perjury,
perverting the course of justice.
(2) An offence which has been superseded (directly or indirectly) by an offence specified in subsection (1) is also specified for the purposes of Case A.
(3) In relation to an offence specified in subsection (1) or (2), the following offences are also specified for the purposes of Case A—
an offence of attempt, conspiracy or incitement to commit the offence;
an offence of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the commission of the offence;
an offence under Part 2 of the Serious Crime Act 2007 (encouraging or assisting) in relation to the offence.
(4)
(4) The Secretary of State may amend this section by regulations to add or remove an offence
In relation to terrorism-related offences, this includes an unspent conviction for an offence to which Part 4 of the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 applies; or an offence under section 13 or 19 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
The Government has no plans to change the disqualification criteria for standing as a candidate in UK general elections or membership of the House of Commons beyond the criteria currently set out in the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 and the Representation of the People’s Act 1981.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Free Trade Agreement with the Maldives will include specific provisions that prioritise the trade of tuna caught by low-impact methods over industrially-caught tuna.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answers I gave on 27 November 2025 to questions UIN HL12107, UIN HL12108 and UIN HL12109.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what safeguards for the marine environment they plan to include in the Free Trade Agreement with the Maldives.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answers I gave on 27 November 2025 to questions UIN HL12107, UIN HL12108 and UIN HL12109.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the current status of the proposed Free Trade Agreement with the Maldives.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answers I gave on 27 November 2025 to questions UIN HL12107, UIN HL12108 and UIN HL12109.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they had with conservation groups that have financially supported the Chagos marine reserve during negotiations with the government of Mauritius about the future protection of the environment on and around the islands.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given in the House of Commons on 21 November 2025 to Question 90684, which is reproduced below for ease of reference:
We welcome the 3 November announcement by the Mauritian government confirming plans for the establishment of a Marine Protected Area after entry into force of the Treaty. The proposed zones of the future protected area will utilise the internationally recognised categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
There will be no commercial fishing across the entire 640,000 square kilometre area. The Great Chagos Bank will be given one of the highest levels of protection, with the rest of the Marine Protected Area categorised as a highly protected conservation zone. There will be limited provision for controlled levels of artisanal fishing in confined zoned areas intended for resettlement, to allow for subsistence fishing by any Chagossian communities that resettle, while maintaining the commitment to nature conservation.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what reassurance they have had from the government of Mauritius in relation to its capabilities to prevent illegal fishing in the Chagos Islands marine protected area since July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given in the House of Commons on 21 November 2025 to Question 90684, which is reproduced below for ease of reference:
We welcome the 3 November announcement by the Mauritian government confirming plans for the establishment of a Marine Protected Area after entry into force of the Treaty. The proposed zones of the future protected area will utilise the internationally recognised categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
There will be no commercial fishing across the entire 640,000 square kilometre area. The Great Chagos Bank will be given one of the highest levels of protection, with the rest of the Marine Protected Area categorised as a highly protected conservation zone. There will be limited provision for controlled levels of artisanal fishing in confined zoned areas intended for resettlement, to allow for subsistence fishing by any Chagossian communities that resettle, while maintaining the commitment to nature conservation.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what commitments they have had from the government of Mauritius since July 2024 in relation to the conservation of the marine environment of the Chagos Islands marine protected area.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given in the House of Commons on 21 November 2025 to Question 90684, which is reproduced below for ease of reference:
We welcome the 3 November announcement by the Mauritian government confirming plans for the establishment of a Marine Protected Area after entry into force of the Treaty. The proposed zones of the future protected area will utilise the internationally recognised categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
There will be no commercial fishing across the entire 640,000 square kilometre area. The Great Chagos Bank will be given one of the highest levels of protection, with the rest of the Marine Protected Area categorised as a highly protected conservation zone. There will be limited provision for controlled levels of artisanal fishing in confined zoned areas intended for resettlement, to allow for subsistence fishing by any Chagossian communities that resettle, while maintaining the commitment to nature conservation.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Mauritius in relation to the conservation of the environment of the Chagos Islands since July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given in the House of Commons on 21 November 2025 to Question 90684, which is reproduced below for ease of reference:
We welcome the 3 November announcement by the Mauritian government confirming plans for the establishment of a Marine Protected Area after entry into force of the Treaty. The proposed zones of the future protected area will utilise the internationally recognised categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
There will be no commercial fishing across the entire 640,000 square kilometre area. The Great Chagos Bank will be given one of the highest levels of protection, with the rest of the Marine Protected Area categorised as a highly protected conservation zone. There will be limited provision for controlled levels of artisanal fishing in confined zoned areas intended for resettlement, to allow for subsistence fishing by any Chagossian communities that resettle, while maintaining the commitment to nature conservation.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the current status of the proposed free trade agreement with the Maldives.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
The previous Government, of which the noble lord was a member, launched a public consultation into a potential UK/Maldives FTA in 2023. The Department for Business and Trade has subsequently evaluated its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) programme and decided not to progress a UK-Maldives FTA at this time. It would be inappropriate to speculate on what might or might not be included in an FTA which we are not pursuing.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the free trade agreement with the Maldives will include specific provisions that prioritise tuna caught by low impact methods over industrially caught tuna.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
The previous Government, of which the noble lord was a member, launched a public consultation into a potential UK/Maldives FTA in 2023. The Department for Business and Trade has subsequently evaluated its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) programme and decided not to progress a UK-Maldives FTA at this time. It would be inappropriate to speculate on what might or might not be included in an FTA which we are not pursuing.