Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
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 impact of planned departmental staffing reductions on the delivery of the UK's Approach to Africa as announced on the 15th December 2025.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to becoming a leaner, more agile organisation, better able to deliver tangible benefits for the British people. We remain resolutely committed to international development and will ensure that we have the development capability and technical expertise to deliver on our ambition.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
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 impact of planned departmental staffing reductions on the delivery of UK Official Development Assistance.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to becoming a leaner, more agile organisation, better able to deliver tangible benefits for the British people. We remain resolutely committed to international development and will ensure that we have the development capability and technical expertise to deliver on our ambition.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK's Africa Approach launch on 15 December 2025, what changes, if any, are being considered to visa processes for African business travellers and researchers as part of the Global Partner Programme.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement published on 15 December (UIN HCWS1168) setting out our commitment to unlock investment and trade with our African partners. We will provide further updates in due course on specific priorities and initiatives arising from that commitment.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK's Africa Approach launch on 15 December 2025, how the Developing Countries Trading Scheme is being adapted to align with the Government’s new Africa strategy.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement published on 15 December (UIN HCWS1168) setting out our commitment to unlock investment and trade with our African partners. We will provide further updates in due course on specific priorities and initiatives arising from that commitment.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK's Africa Approach launch on 15 December 2025, which African nations did her department meet with representatives from during the "listening exercise".
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the summary of consultation responses published on 2 June 2025, which can be found on GOV.UK at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uks-new-approach-to-africa-summary-of-consultation/the-uks-new-approach-to-africa-summary-of-consultation-june-2025
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK's Africa Approach launch on 15 December 2025, what proportion of UK Official Development Assistance to Africa is expected to be delivered through investment vehicles rather than grant funding in each of the next three financial years.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement published on 15 December (UIN HCWS1168) setting out our commitment to unlock investment and trade with our African partners. We will provide further updates in due course on specific priorities and initiatives arising from that commitment.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK's Africa Approach launch on 15 December 2025, whether her department intends to renegotiate any of the existing trade agreements with African nations to better reflect the government's new approach.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement published on 15 December (UIN HCWS1168) setting out our commitment to unlock investment and trade with our African partners. We will provide further updates in due course on specific priorities and initiatives arising from that commitment.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK's Africa Approach launch on 15 December 2025, what specific support the UK is providing to African small and medium-sized enterprises to enable them to benefit from UK-Africa trade initiatives.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement published on 15 December (UIN HCWS1168) setting out our commitment to unlock investment and trade with our African partners. We will provide further updates in due course on specific priorities and initiatives arising from that commitment.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK's Africa Approach launch on 15 December 2025, which a) nations and b) sectors the British International Investment and UK Export Finance will prioritise under the new approach.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement published on 15 December (UIN HCWS1168) setting out our commitment to unlock investment and trade with our African partners. We will provide further updates in due course on specific priorities and initiatives arising from that commitment.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK's Africa Approach launch on 15 December 2025, whether she will provide a breakdown of the sectors covered by the 600 organisations consulted with.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the summary of consultation responses published on 2 June 2025, which can be found on GOV.UK at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uks-new-approach-to-africa-summary-of-consultation/the-uks-new-approach-to-africa-summary-of-consultation-june-2025