Baroness Curran

I refer my noble Friend to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question HL2609.

Settler violence is unacceptable, and settlements are illegal under international law. The Foreign Secretary has been clear with Israeli ministers that they must clamp down on settler violence and end settler expansion and has previously met with Palestinian communities in the West Bank to hear how they are affected. On 15 October, the Foreign Secretary announced sanctions targeting three illegal settler outposts and four organisations that have supported and sponsored violence against communities in the West Bank. These measures will help bring accountability to those who have supported and perpetrated such heinous abuses of human rights. As the Foreign Secretary said in Parliament on 1 April, we continue to keep these issues under review but the culture of impunity for those engaged in violence is intolerable.

The UK remains committed to investing internationally to build a safer world. As the Prime Minister has made clear we must increase our security and defence spending now. We remain committed to spending 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income on Official Development Assistance (ODA) when the fiscal circumstances allow.

At 16 per cent of the global population, people with disabilities are among the world's most vulnerable, including in times of crisis, climate and humanitarian emergencies. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is committed to mainstreaming a disability inclusion and rights approach across our work and we will also drive stronger international coordination to advance global disability inclusion progress. We will set out our spending plans following the completion of the Spending Review and departmental resource allocation processes. Equality impact assessments, which consider impacts on disability inclusion, are an essential part of how we make decisions, including on ODA allocations.

We fully recognise the horrific impacts and the understandable strength of feeling on the transatlantic slave trade across communities in the UK and the Commonwealth family. Ministers have had no discussions with Caribbean counterparts focused on the legacy of slavery since July 2024, and none are planned. If interlocutors raise reparatory justice, we make clear our position that we do not pay reparations. We are focused on working with Caribbean partners to tackle the most pressing challenges of today including security, growth, climate change and building partnerships for the future.

The slave trade was abhorrent. We recognise its horrific impacts, and the ongoing strength of feeling. The UK marked the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade on 25 March with other United Nations member states in the General Assembly in the usual manner.

Economic growth is the central mission of this Government, as it is vital to raising prosperity and living standards across all parts of the UK.

The Government established the biannual Council of the Nations and Regions on 11 October 2024. This forum brings together ministers from the UK government and the devolved administrations, reaffirming a shared commitment to work collaboratively to unlock investment, support regional economies, and drive economic growth across the UK.

In addition to this forum, ministers and officials regularly engage with their counterparts in the Scottish and Welsh Governments to discuss the delivery of the growth mission.