Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Collins of Highbury on 4 February (HL4182), which states were sanctioned for conflict-related sexual violence sanctions in (1) December 2022, (2) March 2023, (3) June 2023, and (4) February 2024.

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

The UK has designated fourteen perpetrators of Conflict-related Sexual Violence (CRSV) related crimes since 2022. These include perpetrators in Mali, Myanmar, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These designations under the UK Global Human Rights sanctions regime are narrowly targeted at individuals and groups for their involvement in CRSV.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government which countries will be affected by cutting the aid budget to 0.3 per cent by 2027.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security, and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments and value for money.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the halting of the manufacture of Captagon in Syria.

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

We assess that Captagon production and supply chains inside Syria have decreased significantly since the fall of the Asad regime. However, illicit smuggling networks continue to operate across the Syria-Jordan border. We are working with international partners to raise awareness of and tackle the threats posed by the Captagon industry in the Middle East region.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many children in Gaza have been identified as "wounded child, no surviving family".

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

While we do not hold this specific information, the International Rescue Committee estimates that at least 17,000 children are estimated to be unaccompanied or separated from their parents in Gaza. The plight of children affected by the war in Gaza is deeply distressing. We continue to urge all parties to ensure that aid can safely and effectively reach those who need it in all parts of Gaza, including medical care and shelter equipment. Since the start of the conflict, we have announced £10 million in funding to UK-Med, enabling them to provide vital care to over 300,000 Gazans, including critical limb and life-saving surgeries, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation, in addition to £6m for UNICEF to provide lifesaving aid to vulnerable families in Gaza. We are the second largest donor to the 'Education Cannot Wait' fund which supports 5,000 children affected by the crisis.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact on the UK's soft power of cutting the aid budget to 0.3 per cent by 2027.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The decision to reduce the UK's international development budget was not taken lightly and is a reflection of the extraordinary security challenge the world currently finds itself facing, specifically on Ukraine. Establishing a Soft Power Council reflects the continuing UK commitment to work more strategically on soft power. The UK has enormous soft power strengths and at this time of extraordinary challenges it is even more important that we bring our hard and soft power together as a force for good, to reinvigorate alliances and forge new partnerships. As my Right Honourable Friend the Foreign Secretary has noted, harnessing our soft power more effectively can help to build relationships, deepen trust, enhance our security and drive economic growth.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase support for programmes working to end conflict-related sexual violence in (1) Sudan, and (2) the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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

The UK is committed to responding to the rapidly escalating rates of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

In Sudan, we have enhanced monitoring of CRSV and are working with UN and NGO partners to improve humanitarian access and aid delivery. In DRC, we have announced £79 million this financial year, enabling lifesaving assistance including support for CRSV survivors. This includes an additional package of £14.6 million of humanitarian assistance announced by the Foreign Secretary during his visit to DRC on 21 February.

Details on future programmes are being worked through following the decision to reduce UK Official Development Assistance from 0.5% of Gross National Income today to 0.3% in 2027.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what rules exist to prevent foreign nationals who are convicted felons from entering the UK.

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

Part 9 of the Immigration Rules provides for the refusal of entry clearance or permission to enter or stay in the UK for foreign nationals with previous criminal convictions. Each case is considered on its individual merits. Mandatory grounds for refusal apply where a person has a previous criminal conviction which resulted in a custodial sentence of 12 months or more; is a persistent offender; has committed an offence which caused serious harm; or whose presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good. Refusal is also mandatory for visitors and those coming to the UK for less than 6 months if they have received a custodial sentence of less than 12 months or a non-custodial sentence, unless a period of at least 12 months has passed.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they have in place to ensure that the beliefs of different faiths are respected.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Our country is strengthened by individuals of different faiths and beliefs, and the valuable contribution they make to our communities. I regularly meet leaders and representatives of major faiths and beliefs, and in the first six months in my role, I am proud to have engaged with all faith groups in the UK. The insights of faith and belief groups play an important role in shaping policies that promote inclusivity, understanding, and respect across our society.

Departmental officials also hold strong relationships with many faith and belief representatives, as interfaith practitioners.

This government also recognises and respects the importance of the various festivals commemorated by our different faiths. These are marked through attendance at events and receptions, and on the department’s social media channels.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reopen or replicate (1) the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, and (2) Ukraine Family Scheme visas.

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

The Homes for Ukraine scheme remains open, uncapped and free of charge for Ukrainians in need of temporary sanctuary to apply to come to the UK for 18 months.

These applications must be sponsored by someone who is British, Irish or settled in the UK. Homes for Ukraine provides guests with the right to live, work and access benefits and services while in the UK.

The Ukraine Family scheme closed on 19 February 2024, in favour of a single visa application route (Homes for Ukraine) for Ukrainians to come to the UK and another (the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme) for those seeking to extend their leave already in the UK. This simplifies the schemes and provides greater clarity for applicants whilst ensuring consistency in accommodation and safeguarding checks.

The Government continues to keep the Ukraine schemes under consistent review in line with developments in the ongoing war.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what criteria will used to decide which funding will be removed to ensure that the cut of the aid budget to 0.3 per cent is reached.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security, and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what provisions they have in place to audit adherence to treaty agreements between the UK and countries in the Middle East.

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

The UK enjoys a wide range of agreements with the countries of North Africa and the Middle East. We keep all aspects of our relationships, including participation in any bilateral or multilateral agreements, under review.