Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support her Department is providing to the Turks and Caicos Islands Government for the proposed airport expansion in Providenciales.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to expanding economic cooperation with the Overseas Territories, recognising the importance of sustainable economic prosperity to the whole UK family. The 2025 Joint Ministerial Council included discussions with UK Export Finance regarding their infrastructure offer and credit finance opportunities in the UK, as well as a business engagement session involving UK companies with infrastructure expertise, including airports.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has considered inviting the President of the Swiss Confederation for a State Visit to the United Kingdom.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the Hon Member is experienced enough to know, there are standard procedures for such matters. The Government's recommendations for State Visits are discussed at the Royal Visit Committee. These are then endorsed by the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister before being presented to His Majesty The King for formal approval.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what changes will be made to FCDO due diligence processes for high-profile consular cases following the review announced by the Foreign Secretary.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In 2024-25, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) answered over 400,000 requests for consular support from British nationals overseas, and provided more detailed consular assistance to over 22,200 British nationals overseas, including support to families of more than 6,000 British nationals who had died overseas, and 3,500 who had been hospitalised.
The Hon Member's suggestion that the FCDO should withhold consular support in all these cases until checks have been conducted on each individual's social media history is not only completely impractical, and deeply inappropriate in the cases of families facing bereavement and individuals requiring emergency medical care, but would also violate the basic principle that consular assistance is provided primarily on the basis of someone's citizenship status and the circumstances they face.
Changes arising from the review of information processes initiated by the Foreign Secretary on 29 December will be announced in the normal way in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to introduce mandatory social media checks for individuals receiving consular support.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In 2024-25, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) answered over 400,000 requests for consular support from British nationals overseas, and provided more detailed consular assistance to over 22,200 British nationals overseas, including support to families of more than 6,000 British nationals who had died overseas, and 3,500 who had been hospitalised.
The Hon Member's suggestion that the FCDO should withhold consular support in all these cases until checks have been conducted on each individual's social media history is not only completely impractical, and deeply inappropriate in the cases of families facing bereavement and individuals requiring emergency medical care, but would also violate the basic principle that consular assistance is provided primarily on the basis of someone's citizenship status and the circumstances they face.
Changes arising from the review of information processes initiated by the Foreign Secretary on 29 December will be announced in the normal way in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with representatives of the Venezuelan Opposition in (a) Venezuela, (b) other Latin American countries, and (c) the United Kingdom, following the arrest of Nicolás Maduro.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 5 January, and her responses to questions raised in that debate.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with representatives of Somaliland in London in the last 12 months.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office regularly engages with the Somali authorities, political parties and civil society, as well as the Somaliland Office in London.
Decisions on Israeli diplomatic recognition are a matter for the Government of Israel. The Foreign Secretary has had no specific discussions with her Israeli counterpart on this subject.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Israeli counterpart on their diplomatic recognition of Somaliland.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office regularly engages with the Somali authorities, political parties and civil society, as well as the Somaliland Office in London.
Decisions on Israeli diplomatic recognition are a matter for the Government of Israel. The Foreign Secretary has had no specific discussions with her Israeli counterpart on this subject.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Southern Transitional Council’s aim to hold a referendum on independence in the coming years.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to my statement to the House on 5 January, where I set out the UK's position in relation to the recent tensions in Southern Yemen. I will provide further such updates in due course as necessary.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the recent military tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE in Yemen, and their potential impact on regional security.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to my statement to the House on 5 January, where I set out the UK's position in relation to the recent tensions in Southern Yemen. I will provide further such updates in due course as necessary.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has engaged with the UN or Gulf partners on the escalation in southern Yemen between Saudi and Emirati-aligned forces.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to my statement to the House on 5 January, where I set out the UK's position in relation to the recent tensions in Southern Yemen. I will provide further such updates in due course as necessary.