Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to increase multi-year funding to support food insecure people in Sudan, and food insecure Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Ministers will consider Official Development Assistance allocations for 2025/26 over the coming months, and we will publish them in the Annual Report & Accounts in summer 2025. The next phase of the Spending Review will set departmental budgets from 2026/27 to 2029/30.

In November 2024, the UK announced a further £113 million of aid. With this announcement, the UK has doubled our aid to £226.5 million.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to encourage a ceasefire and an end to the conflict in Sudan.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The UK is actively working towards ending the conflict in Sudan. The Foreign Secretary has spoken with regional partners to explore how the UK can assist international mediation efforts. Richard Crowder, UK Special Representative to Sudan, visited Port Sudan in December 2024 - the UK's first official visit to the county since outbreak of conflict in April 2023. He pressed for a resolution to the conflict, and for all parties to engage constructively in mediation talks, including by complying with the Jeddah Declaration of Commitments to Protect Civilians. We also continue to lead efforts in the UN Security Council to support peace and to keep international spotlight on this crisis.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to secure guarantees from warring parties in Sudan for the safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected populations.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The UK continues to raise the critical issue of humanitarian access. We did this recently at the UN Security Council on 19 December 2024 and 6 January 2025, where we called for the warring parties to lift bureaucratic impediments and let aid get to those who need it. The Minister for Development has also engaged directly with the new Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, on the UN response. The UK Special Representative, Richard Crowder, met the head of the Sudanese Armed Forces, General Burhan, during his first visit to Sudan and lobbied against current impediments such as visas. On 25 November 2024, the Foreign Secretary chaired a Sudan meeting with G7 and Arab Quint Foreign Ministers to discuss joint steps to improve humanitarian access and increase aid. In November 2024, the UK co-led a protection of civilians resolution at the UN Security Council with Sierra Leone, which also called for parties to the conflict to agree humanitarian pauses, and ensure the delivery of adequate humanitarian aid. This received unanimous Council support, apart from Russia who chose to veto it.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of press freedom and freedom of expression in Zimbabwe following the detention of the journalist Blessed Mhlanga.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The UK is monitoring the arrest and detention of Zimbabwean journalist Blessed Mhlanga.

An official from our Embassy in Harare attended Mhlanga's bail application hearing on 28 February. We continue to call for freedom of expression, as well as the rule of law and due process, to be respected in line with Zimbabwe's constitution.