Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Baroness Cox, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
A Bill to make further provision about arbitration and mediation services and the application of equality legislation to such services; and for connected purposes.
Second reading - the general debate on all aspects of the Bill - took place on 19 October.Committee stage - line by line examination of the Bill - is yet to be scheduled. A Bill to make further provision about arbitration and mediation services and the application of equality legislation to such services; to make provision about the protection of victims of domestic abuse; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to amend the Marriage Act 1949 to create an offence of purporting to solemnize an unregistered marriage.
A Bill to amend the Marriage Act 1949 to create an offence of purporting to solemnize an unregistered marriage
A bill to amend the Marriage Act 1949 to create an offence of purporting to solemnize an unregistered marriage
A Bill to make further provision about arbitration and mediation services and the application of equality legislation to such services; to make provision about the protection of victims of domestic abuse; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to make further provision about arbitration and mediation services and the application of equality legislation to such services, to make provision about the protection of victims of domestic abuse, and for connected purposes.
To make further provision about arbitration and mediation services and the application of equality legislation to such services; to make provision about the protection of victims of domestic abuse; and for connected purposes.
Baroness Cox has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have, therefore, asked the Authority to respond.
Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician
10 December 2021
As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 30 November (HL4074), what estimate has been made of the number of British citizens currently united in religious marriages that have (1) not taken place at registered premises, or (2) been recorded as civil marriages (HL4637).
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for publishing marriage statistics for England and Wales. The most recent year for which marriage statistics are available is for 2018 [1]. National Records Scotland (NRS) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) are responsible for publishing marriage statistics for marriages registered in Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.
Information about the nationality of individuals is not collected during the marriage registration process. Some information about the nationality of individuals is reported to the General Register Office (GRO) at the marriage notification stage. This information is not provided to the ONS as we only receive marriage registrations data from GRO.
An annual breakdown of the number of religious marriages and civil marriages which took place in England and Wales is available. It is not possible to determine from marriage registrations data if some religious marriages took place at unregistered premises as this information is not recorded during the registration process. It is also not possible to determine how many civil marriages may have been undertaken in accordance with the rites and ceremonies of certain religious denominations prior to having a civil ceremony.
Table 1 provides the total number of religious marriages and civil religious registered in England and Wales for each year for the period 2008 to 2018.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Sir Ian Diamond
1 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/marriagecohabitationandcivilpartnerships/datasets/marriagesinenglandandwales2013
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have, therefore, asked the Authority to respond.
Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician
Baroness Cox
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW
23 November 2021
Dear Baroness Cox,
As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what steps have been taken to ascertain the number of British citizens currently united in religious-only marriages (HL4074).
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for publishing marriage statistics for England and Wales. The most recent year for which marriage statistics are available is 20181. National Records Scotland (NRS) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) are responsible for publishing marriage statistics for marriages registered in Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.
An annual breakdown of the number of religious marriages which took place in England and Wales is available. A religious marriage is defined as a marriage solemnised in certified places of worship that are registered for marriage, and is carried out in accordance with the rites and ceremonies of a religious denomination.
To provide the number of British citizens currently united in religious-only marriages would potentially require changes to the civil registration process, as information about the nationality of individuals marrying is not provided to the ONS by the General Register Office, and this information is not collected during the marriage registration process.
Table 1 provides the number of religious marriages registered in England and Wales for each year for the period 2008 to 2018. It is important to note that these counts may be an underestimate as some marriages (such as Muslim and Sikh) undertaken in accordance with the rites and ceremonies of a religious denomination, may take place at unregistered premises. Such marriages do not meet the legal requirements needed in England and Wales for a religious marriage and are recorded as civil marriages.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Sir Ian Diamond
Table 1: Number of religious marriages2 registered3 in England and Wales4, 2008 to 20185
Year | Number of religious marriages |
2008 | 78,498 |
2009 | 76,493 |
2010 | 78,128 |
2011 | 74,452 |
2012 | 79,473 |
2013 | 68,600 |
2014 | 68,051 |
2015 | 62,658 |
2016 | 60,069 |
2017 | 54,346 |
2018 | 48,181 |
Source: Office for National Statistics
2 Marriage statistics are derived from information recorded when marriages are registered as part of civil registration, a legal requirement.
3 Figures include opposite-sex and same-sex marriages registered in England and Wales.
4 Figures exclude marriages to residents of England and Wales that took place abroad.
5 The latest marriage statistics available for are for 2018. It is currently only possible to publish final annual marriage statistics around 26 months after the end of the reference year due to delays in the submission of marriage entries by the clergy and registrars.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.
Dear Baroness Cox,
As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking how many of those who have died in care homes whose death certificate mentioned COVID-19 were (1) discharged from hospital to a care home, and (2) admitted to a care home from their residential address (HL3011).
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes mortality data that are compiled from information supplied when deaths are certified and registered as part of civil registration.
Table 1 below shows the number of deaths that occurred in care homes in England and Wales where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate in 2020 (occurring up to week 16; the week ending 17 April 2020 and registered by 25 April). The data is broken down by place of usual residence, which is either home or care home, and the residency period. The length of residency is therefore used here as an indication of whether the individual had recently moved (within the last 6 months) into the care home, prior to their death. Please note this data is provisional.
Data identifying whether the individual had recently transferred from hospital to the care home, prior to their death, is currently unavailable.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Sir Ian Diamond
Table 1: Provisional figures on death occurrences in care homes where coronavirus (COVID-19) was mentioned on the death certificate in England and Wales and place of usual residence was home or care home[1][2][3][4]
Residency length | 6 months or over | Under 6 months | Unknown | Total |
Total | 2,412 | 1,023 | 67 | 3,502 |
Care home | 2,144 | 438 | 48 | 2,630 |
Home | 268 | 585 | 19 | 872 |
Source: ONS
[1]Deaths of non-residents are included in the England and Wales total.
[2]Figures based on date a death occurred rather than registered. There is sometimes a delay in registering deaths, more information can be found in our registration delay release.
[3]Care homes include homes from the chronic sick; nursing homes; homes for people with mental health problems and non-NHS multi-function sites.
[4]These figures are calculated using the most up-to-date data we have available to get the most accurate estimates. Therefore it is based on deaths registered up to 25 April
To support employers to create faith and belief friendly workplaces, Acas has produced Guide on Religion or belief discrimination: key points for the workplace. This guide offers employers, managers, HR professionals, employees, employee/trade union representatives and job applicants a grounding in how to reduce the chance of religion or belief discrimination happening in the workplace, how it might still occur and how it should be dealt with if it does happen.
As signatories to the Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, the UK supports the work of UNESCO in working with the relevant authorities in Armenia and Azerbaijan to protect cultural properties at risk in Nagorno-Karabakh. We support the work of the Minsk Group and hope UNESCO- appointed inspectors will be given unfettered access to ensure the effective safeguarding of the region’s heritage. The Minister for European Neighbourhood and the Americas at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has emphasised the importance of protecting all cultural heritage sites to both the Armenian and Azerbaijani Governments.
We will look at opening outdoor education activities along with the wider hospitality sector in Step 3 of the government’s recovery strategy, currently planned for 4 July. This will be subject to the further scientific advice and the latest risk assessment at the time.
My Department has launched the Cultural Renewal Taskforce to help our sectors’ businesses prepare to reopen when it is safe to do so. Within this taskforce, we have set up a Visitor Economy Working Group to specifically focus on the practicalities and guidelines for restarting tourism activity during the recovery period. We remain in regular contact with outdoor hospitality stakeholders.
The Department for Education is currently advising that professional outdoor education and adventure holiday providers that would usually offer activities for schools and/or summer holiday activities to children should remain closed for the time being.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is abuse and we want to eradicate this practice once and for all. Between 2015-2020, the department made available over £3.5 million from the Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme to Barnardo’s in order to establish and run the National FGM Centre. The department’s Innovation Programme funding was time-limited with the proportion of costs reducing from year to year. The funding was intended to build capacity in the sector.
The department has committed some further funding to spread good practice and end this abuse. We have also introduced tough safeguarding laws to compel certain professionals to report if they have encountered cases of FGM in under 18s, provided funding for charities to support victims of FGM and, through our new relationships, health and sex education curriculum, we are teaching pupils about the emotional and physical damage of FGM in an age-appropriate way, as well as teaching that it is a crime.
The government is extremely grateful to all students who chose to opt into a paid clinical placement in the NHS during this extremely difficult time. We have ensured that all students who do so are rewarded fairly for their hard work. Nursing, midwifery and allied health students who volunteered as part of the COVID-19 response have been receiving a salary and automatic NHS pension entitlement at the appropriate band. Time spent on paid placements as part of the COVID-19 response counts towards the requirement for students to complete a specified number of training hours in order to successfully complete their degrees.
Nursing students will continue to be required to pay tuition fees, and there are no plans for a specific debt write-off scheme for these students. Student loan borrowers are only required to make repayments from the April after they have finished their course, and once they are earning over the relevant repayment threshold. The amount borrowers are required to repay each week or month is linked to their income, not the interest rate or the amount borrowed. Repayments are calculated as a fixed percentage of earnings above the repayment threshold, and any outstanding debt is written off at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower.
The government’s overriding priority remains keeping the public safe. Any steps taken as part of a phased lifting of restrictions need to be measured and guided by the science. It is for this reason that, while we have set out that primary schools can now welcome back some more of their pupils, we are advising that professional outdoor education and adventure holiday companies that would usually offer activities for schools and/ or summer holiday activities to children, should be remaining closed for the time being.
However, under the new social distancing guidelines, which allow up to, but no more than 6 people to gather outside, parents can take their children to a 1-1 outdoor coaching or training session, as long as the gathering does not exceed 6 people and social distancing is adhered to. Parents can also take their children to certain other outdoor sport and recreation activities, provided they are meeting these same social distancing requirements. Details of the types of activities included are set out in DCMS’s guidance for the public on the phased return of outdoor sport and recreation, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation/guidance-for-the-public-on-the-phased-return-of-outdoor-sport-and-recreation.
The government will keep this position under review and continue to be guided by the best scientific and medical advice to ensure that the right decisions are taken at the right time.
The UK has contributed £75 million to help the WHO lead international efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 and end the pandemic.
The UK provides humanitarian assistance to Chin refugees in Malaysia and India via the UNHCR - the UN Refugee Agency. The UK has provided UNHCR with predictable, core, unearmarked funding of £35 million per year since 2012, currently as part of a four-year (2017-2020) programme of support alongside other UN humanitarian agencies. In India and Malaysia UNHCR provides support to refugees, including ethnic Chins, comprising advocacy, legal representation, community outreach and assistance programmes.
The High Commission has advocated for and supported the handing over of all children in any form of detention to UNICEF or appropriate agencies and this has led to the release of many hundreds in recent months. We will continue to urge all parties to prioritise mitigating the effect of conflict on civilians, particularly the most vulnerable including women and children. In respect to criticisms of the rehabilitation and reintegration components of Operation Safe Corridor, including evidence of boys accessing the programme, the High Commission in Abuja is currently reassessing its support to Operation Safe Corridor in light of this report. We will need to be fully satisfied with our partners’ plans for addressing these issues in order to continue our support.
UKAid already provides a range of humanitarian and development assistance in Nigeria that supports children affected by the conflict in the northeast, including those previously detained by the Nigerian authorities, and advocacy to the Nigerian authorities to manage these facilities in accordance with domestic and international law. This includes funding partners to provide dedicated case management support to particularly vulnerable children, including unaccompanied and separated minors, where physical and psychosocial health services plus essential material needs, are supported by UKAid.
DFID is actively delivering it Strategic Vision for Women and Girls in Nigeria to promote women’s rights and gender equality. This includes increasing women’s economic empowerment, supporting women’s participation and representation in politics and civil society through governance programmes, and keeping girls in school.
In May 2020, the UN launched an appeal of $384 million to provide a multi sector response to the COVID-19 pandemic (health and non-health sectors) across the whole of Syria. There are currently 58 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Syrian Government-controlled areas, with three deaths. There have also been unconfirmed reports of infections in North West Syria, whilst the Self Administration governing North East Syria have confirmed six cases.
The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said on 19 May that despite these numbers, a risk of a wider spread is ever present and called for essential, sustained and impeded humanitarian access. The WHO has warned of an impending ‘explosion’ of cases and a possibly significant outbreak that will be difficult for the already weakened health system to manage after years of conflict.
We are particularly concerned for the welfare of Syrians in IDP camps, who due to poor, crowded living conditions, would be unable to maintain social distance. In areas not currently under Syrian Government control, it is essential that humanitarian access to life-saving services and humanitarian support is unhindered. This must be done in a way that does not increase the spread of the virus, including through support for renewal of the UN Security Council resolution on cross-border humanitarian assistance.
In Syria the UK is one of the leading donors supporting international efforts to deliver vital healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene activities; all of which help to mitigate the threat posed by COVID-19. The UK is monitoring the situation closely and working with humanitarian partners inside Syria to respond to the outbreak and to sustain life-saving services.
The UK is pleased to be a leading donor in responding to the humanitarian crisis in North East Nigeria and will provide at least £60 million in humanitarian aid between April 2020 and March 2021. We review the need for humanitarian assistance on an ongoing basis to ensure that lifesaving assistance is directed towards the most vulnerable people with the acute needs. Following the confirmation of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria we have been monitoring whether there is need for UK-funded humanitarian assistance in other areas of the country. We do not currently assess that there is a need for UK-funded humanitarian assistance beyond the North East region. In the future the UK may decide to provide humanitarian assistance to other areas of Nigeria, based on lifesaving needs.
UK humanitarian assistance is provided based on lifesaving need and supports the United Nations-led Humanitarian Response Plan which focuses on the North East states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe which have been impacted by a non-international armed conflict. However, wider DFID work operates across Nigeria to improve healthcare, education and economic development outcomes, such as the PropCom Mai-Kalfi programme which, among its other objectives, seeks to provide sustainable livelihoods for women and families through poultry vaccinations and the introduction of climate conscious improved cookstoves, which reduces the production of harmful toxic smoke.
The Middle Belt of Nigeria, as with many other parts of the country, sees competition over land and water, which frequently leads to conflict. The UK monitors this situation closely and has strong reporting mechanisms. DFID responds as and when intervention is required. We have a broad range of programmes across the country, aimed at supporting the most vulnerable people in Nigerian society – this includes economic development and livelihoods support, and work to improve health and education service outcomes. We regularly publish updates on our programmes on DevTracker. These updates can be found here – https://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/countries/NG/.
The UK is deeply concerned by the ongoing conflict in North East Nigeria and is committed to supporting the 1.9 million people who have been forced to flee their homes.
DFID is one of the largest donors to the World Food Programme's emergency operation in North East Nigeria, which provides cash and food assistance to those who have been displaced.?? We also support humanitarian partners including Action Against Hunger, the International Rescue Committee and the United Nations Children’s Fund to deliver emergency healthcare and nutrition, protection services, education to out of school children and access to lifesaving water. We will continue to flex our existing £300 million humanitarian programme to respond to conflict-related shocks and displacement.?The UK does not currently provide humanitarian assistance in the middle belt states.
To protect those at risk of attack as a result of the insecurity, the UK’s humanitarian programme includes a £16 million two-year initiative dedicated to providing support to those affected by the conflict in North East Nigeria, particularly victims of sexual and gender-based violence. DFID works with partners, the UN and NGOs to save lives, strengthen resilience, and protect civilians from attacks and violations of international law.? To improve the effectiveness of security responses and the protection of civilians in Borno state, the UK is providing up to £800,000 from October 2019 to March 2021.
The UK is concerned by the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Sudan and, as one of the largest humanitarian donors in the country, we are committed to assisting those in need. We welcome the Government of Sudan’s commitment to unfettered humanitarian access across the country, however we note that full humanitarian access has yet to be delivered. The UK has continued to call on PM Hamdok and the Government of Sudan to ensure this commitment is achieved. HMA and DFID officials in Khartoum have continued to engage with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on how we can coordinate and respond effectively to the humanitarian needs across all of Sudan, including in the Abyei region. Furthermore, senior UK officials in Juba continue to urge all parties to abide by the commitments they have made to ensure full, safe, unhindered humanitarian access throughout South Sudan.
China is an important trading partner for the UK, and we are pursuing increased bilateral trade.
The Department identifies market opportunities through its dedicated trade and investment network in major cities across China, which is ready to provide advice and support to ensure UK businesses take full advantage of emerging opportunities.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) and its delivery partners provide support for UK-based companies’ outward investments in China and other jurisdictions where there is a positive impact on the UK economy.
As an open economy, we welcome foreign trade and investment, including from China, where it supports UK growth and jobs. But we will not accept investments which compromise our national security.
HM Government has serious concerns about the situation in Xinjiang, with reports of the use of forced labour. It has always been the case that where we have concerns, we raise them – as we did on this issue at the UN Human Rights Council, most recently in September.
We advise businesses with supply chain links in Xinjiang to conduct appropriate due diligence to satisfy themselves that their activities do not support, or risk being seen to be supporting, any violations or abuses of rights and responsibilities. However, we do not currently have plans to ban imports from Xinjiang.
HM Government have serious concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang, with credible reports of the use of forced labour. It has always been the case that, where we have concerns, we raise them, as we did on this issue at the UN Human Rights Council in March. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.
HM Government is committed to eliminating modern slavery. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 made Britain the first country in the world to require businesses to report on how they are tackling modern slavery, including forced labour, in their operations and supply chains. Section 54 of the Act was designed to empower consumers, investors, civil society and others to scrutinise the action that businesses are taking to identify and address modern slavery in their operations and supply chains.
Since 2020, the Department has provided £123 million to 86 artificial intelligence (AI) technologies through the AI in Health and Care Award. The Award is accelerating the testing and evaluation of the most promising AI technologies likely to meet the aims set out in the NHS Long Term Plan.
Funding was provided for two projects, one from Mirada Medical and one led by Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust (project OSAIRIS), that specialise in assisting clinicians by automatically segmenting radiotherapy scans. The current process requires a time-consuming manual procedure, outlining healthy organs to be avoided during radiotherapy treatment. These technologies could significantly reduce the time from people being referred for radiotherapy to starting treatment. Award funding was granted to generate more evidence and test the feasibility of AI tools of this type.
NHS England Specialised Commissioning is the responsible commissioner for all radiotherapy services across England and so is responsible for setting evidence-based national service standards for radiotherapy, including service specifications, clinical commissioning policies, and the introduction of more centres and units for radiotherapy.
In the 2023/24 Operational Planning Guidance, NHS England announced it is providing over £390 million in cancer service development funding to cancer alliances in each of the next two years to support delivery of the strategy and the operational priorities for cancer which includes increasing and prioritising diagnostic and treatment capacity for cancer.
NHS England is the accountable commissioner for radiotherapy services, and as such is responsible for setting evidence-based national service standards for radiotherapy, including service specifications and clinical commissioning policies. There are no plans for this to change in the future.
The information requested is not held centrally. Any professional, research or educational partnerships between medical schools, hospitals and other centres are managed by individual institutions.
The Department commissioned Health Education England to review the long-term framework for the health and regulated social care workforce, to ensure that the right skills, values and behaviours are available to deliver high quality care. This review is nearing completion and further information will be available in due course. In addition, the Department has commissioned NHS England to develop a long term workforce plan and its conclusions will also be available in due course.
The Government welcomes the publication of the Royal College of Nursing’s report and shares its aim of a well-supported nursing workforce. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, the Care Quality Commission ensures that providers comply with Regulation 18 on suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who receive effective support, supervision and development and effectively deliver safe care which meets patients’ individual needs.
The Government has also committed to deliver 50,000 more nurses and ensure the National Health Service can access a sustainable long-term workforce supply. We are currently on schedule to meet this commitment, with 30,000 additional nurses in March 2022 compared to September 2019.
The Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria programme (SPRiNG) has access to a large network of subject matter experts from Nigeria. This includes farmers, pastoralists, politicians, academics and civil society figures. The evidence, research, data and analysis we collect from these experts allows us to understand the local context of the areas SPRiNG is designed to operate in. The FCDO welcomes further collaboration with civil society in Nigeria on the SPRiNG programme.
Nigerian citizens exposed to conflict or at risk of being exposed to conflict are the intended beneficiaries of the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria programme (SPRiNG). SPRiNG aims to deliver a more stable and peaceful Nigeria in which its citizens benefit from reduced levels of violence.
The UK remains committed to supporting a more stable, resilient and prosperous Nigeria. The FCDO does not capture HMG Official Development Assistance (ODA) figures on a regional level in Nigeria. Further information relating to UK ODA can be found on the Government's website in the April 2024 publication of Statistics on International Development: provisional UK aid spend 2023.
Sudan currently represents the largest displacement crisis in the world, including over 9 million people internally displaced. This financial year, the UK bilateral official development assistance to Sudan will nearly double to £89 million, up from nearly £50 million in 2023/24. We do not hold information specifically on what percentage of the UK's 2023/2024 humanitarian aid package supported Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile regions. However, the lack of humanitarian access across Sudan, including to IDP camps, continues to make it extremely difficult for humanitarian organisations to provide the necessary levels of assistance.
All of Nigeria's central and northern states are candidates for the Strengthening Peace and Resilience (SPRiNG) in Nigeria programme. This is because all states are either already affected by conflict or at risk of conflict breaking out.
The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei's (UNISFA) mandate was renewed in November 2023 and amended better to equip the mission to respond quickly to security incidents and to place greater emphasis on community engagement. The UK is using its position as a permanent member of the Security Council to urge both the government of South Sudan and the de facto Sudanese authorities to ensure UNISFA can fully and effectively implement its mandate, in line with their responsibility as host states and the 2011 Status of Forces Agreements. The extension of the UNISFA mandate from six to twelve months will also better enable the mission to develop longer-term strategies.
The UK echoes the UN Secretary-General's encouragement for the African Union to intensify its mediation efforts to help reach a political solution for Abyei. We continue to urge both the Governments of South Sudan and the de facto authorities in Sudan to regularise meetings of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee and agree joint security mechanisms to improve stability in Abyei until its final status can be agreed. The UK has expressed alarm in the UN Security Council about the ongoing positioning of the South Sudanese People's Defence Forces in Abyei and have called upon the Government of South Sudan to immediately withdraw its troops in line with its commitments under the 2011 Status of Forces Agreement.
The UK is using its position as a permanent member of the Security Council to press both the government of South Sudan and the de facto Sudanese authorities to ensure The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) can fully and effectively implement its mandate, in line with their responsibility as host states. The UK released a statement alongside Troika (UK, US, Norway) partners on January 29, to condemn the series of armed attacks in Abyei and urge the Government of South Sudan urgently to withdraw its troops in line with its commitments under the 2011 Status of Forces Agreement.
The influx of refugees and returnees fleeing the conflict in Sudan, inter-communal violence and recurrent flooding has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation in Abyei. We are working with the UN and the humanitarian community in Sudan and South Sudan to address these immense humanitarian needs. De-escalation of violence and a sustained peace is essential to facilitate the safe return of internally displaced people to their homes. We continue to urge both the Governments of South Sudan and the de facto authorities in Sudan to regularise meetings of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee and agree joint security mechanisms to improve stability in Abyei until its final status can be agreed.
The UK remains committed to supporting a more stable, resilient and prosperous Nigeria. From 2015 to 2022, the UK Government provided approximately £1.96 billion in bilateral Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) to Nigeria and has allocated £72.3 million in bilateral ODA for financial year 2023/2024. As well as supporting the humanitarian response in North East Nigeria, UK ODA has achieved sustainable results across a range of sectors. For example, the UK has supported over 2 million Nigerians to improve their incomes or jobs sustainably since 2015; strengthened education outcomes for over 8 million children since 2009; and supported over 1.5 million additional girls to access schooling in six states since 2012.
It is likely that some criminal networks engage in illicit trade, including trading of weapons, with terrorist groups in Nigeria, including in its northern states. This is distinct from intercommunal violence, which occurs particularly in Nigeria's Middle Belt and is driven by lack of economic opportunities, disruption to traditional ways of life created by environmental degradation and historical grievances. Through our UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership, we are working with Nigeria to respond to shared threats and are supporting Nigeria to tackle insecurity and promote human rights.
Displacement in Nigeria has a significant impact on children, who are often no longer able to attend school and therefore lack education provision for an extended period of time. This can also increase vulnerability to trafficking and other safeguarding issues. While the UK funds development initiatives in some Middle Belt states, our humanitarian assistance is aligned with the UN Humanitarian Response Plan which focusses on North-East Nigeria, which is most impacted by displacement. The UK is also supporting Nigeria's National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency to increase the local law enforcement agencies' capacity and capability to disrupt narcotics flow across Nigeria, in line with human rights standards.
The proliferation of weapons is exacerbating security challenges across Nigeria, although exact sources of weapons used in the recent violence in Plateau state remain uncertain. We are supporting Nigeria to address the proliferation of weapons by providing x-ray image interpretation training to the Nigerian Drugs Law Enforcement Agency to assist them with detecting weapons and weapon parts when screening baggage, fast parcels, and air freight. Furthermore, we are supporting Nigeria to strengthen its borders, including through the Collaboration Against Trafficking and Smuggling (CATS) programme. This programme operates along the Nigerian-Niger border and aims to build the capability of the border agencies to tackle cross-border human trafficking and smuggling.
The UK Government condemns the abduction and captivity of all persons for ransom. We are aware of a rise in kidnappings in central Nigeria. It is difficult to provide a definitive figure because of differing recording practices across agencies and because not all kidnaps are reported to the Nigerian authorities. At the latest UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) dialogue in February, we strengthened our commitment to providing mentoring and capacity-building support to the agencies with a mandate to tackle the threat of kidnap. This will help reduce harm to victims and hold those responsible to account.
Any reports of discrimination against religious minorities are a matter for the Indian police and legal system. The British High Commission in New Delhi continues to monitor the situation in India.
We engage India on a range of human rights matters, working with Union and State Governments, and with civil society, to build capacity and share expertise to promote human rights for all. Where we have any issues, we raise them directly with the Government of India, including at Ministerial level.
The Foreign Secretary has raised his concerns over the Foreign Agents bill directly with the Kyrgyz government. His Majesty's Ambassador in Bishkek continues to raise these concerns with the government of Kyrgyzstan. We encourage Kyrgyzstan to protect fundamental rights, particularly in the area of freedom of expression and assembly, which is essential to the long-term health of democracy.
The FCDO is following the progress of the Foreign Representatives Bill closely. We share the concerns previously raised by the United Nations that it could contravene Kyrgyzstan's international obligations in relation to rights and freedoms. We encourage Kyrgyzstan to protect these fundamental rights, particularly in the area of freedom of expression and assembly, which is essential to the long-term health of democracy.
The UN estimates almost 9 million people are currently internally displaced in Sudan, making it the largest displacement crisis in the world. As of 23 January, 127,119 people have fled to Blue Nile and 125,373 to South Kordofan since 15 April 2023. Furthermore, as of 31 January, 15,750 people have fled from Sudan into Abyei since the start of the Sudan conflict. The UK is providing assistance those in need through our humanitarian aid package of £38 million for 2023-2024. In the next financial year 2024-2025, the UK bilateral ODA to Sudan will double to £89 million.
The UN estimates almost 9 million people are currently internally displaced in Sudan, making it the largest displacement crisis in the world. As of 23 January, 127,119 people have fled to Blue Nile and 125,373 to South Kordofan since 15 April 2023. Furthermore, as of 31 January, 15,750 people have fled from Sudan into Abyei since the start of the Sudan conflict. The UK is providing assistance those in need through our humanitarian aid package of £38 million for 2023-2024. In the next financial year 2024-2025, the UK bilateral ODA to Sudan will double to £89 million.
Rising insecurity in Nigeria has affected all faith and non-faith communities, including Christians. The UK Government regularly raises the impact of insecurity on communities, and the need to bring perpetrators to justice, with the Nigerian Government. The British High Commissioner has raised the recent attacks in Plateau with the Nigerian National Security Adviser. The High Commissioner and his team continue to work closely with the respective authorities to raise and address these issues through multiple forums.