Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Caroline Nokes Excerpts

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Chris Elmore]

I was delighted to be at the eye health summit with my hon. Friend, and I want to put on record my congratulations to her on her dedication in leading this work on tackling global eye health. I know how truly committed she is to this process. I am more than happy to meet her and to sit down and engage on this subject, not just because it is important to her but because it matters across the Commonwealth and across nations beyond the Commonwealth. I am very happy to do that.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

[Monica Harding (Esher and Walton) (LD)]

It remains crucial that the Government engage wholeheartedly with our friends and partners in the Commonwealth, especially now, in an insecure world, when other partnerships may be fraught. While I am pleased to see CHOGM emphasising the challenge of food insecurity, protecting our oceans and tackling climate change, it added up to warm words but sharp cuts in UK aid to Commonwealth nations. The aid budget to the Commonwealth has been slashed from £546 million in 2024-25 to £131 million in 2028-29, with over half of that going to Nigeria alone. All this is happening while humanitarian crises are continually underfunded and El Niño is already causing havoc around the world and is likely to force many millions more people into acute food insecurity over the next year. The King attended the launch of the Commonwealth nature initiative, but the UK Government failed to make a contribution. These cuts to official development assistance are hurting our partnerships in the Commonwealth, our international understanding and our influence.

The Prime Minister has talked about Labour values driving his agenda and not making the mistake of wearing too many Tory clothes. Does the Minister agree that presiding over the deepest aid cuts this century—deeper than Donald Trump’s in America—looks like trying on the last Conservative Government’s clothes, and that Labour values would involve a return to the 0.7% aid target, which has been legislated for by this House? Will the Minister lay out a timeline to do this? I applaud the Foreign Secretary’s desire to take action on development finance and tackle unsustainable debt, but with the G20 fast approaching, will the Minister make a statement on how he will do this, alongside taking action on illicit financial flows and multilateral development bank reform, and with COP31 in Antalya this week, will he reassure the House that the UK will uphold its commitments to tackling the climate crisis?

--- Later in debate ---

[Chris Elmore]

My hon. Friend is right that the benefit of the Commonwealth is a significant part of our work and that trade should be at the front and centre of that. I am confident that the shadow Foreign Secretary is always keen for some educational improvement, so I am sure, between the two of us, we could give him some lessons on the work of the Commonwealth.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)]

I call the Father of the House.

[Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con)]

Shamefully, some 12.5 million slaves were sent across the Atlantic during the slave trade, and it is reckoned that 90% of them were captured and traded in horrific circumstances by African kings. Does the Minister agree that it would be ridiculous to hold the descendants of those African kings responsible for the sins of their fathers? Should we not learn from the King, our chief diplomat, by expressing sorrow from the depth of our soul, but not getting involved in apologies, let alone reparations?

--- Later in debate ---

[Chris Elmore]

My hon. Friend is right about the many conversations that we had on behalf of her constituents during Hurricane Melissa and about the response of the UK Government. A succession of Administrations have worked to deliver climate resilient infrastructure that can withstand the impact of multiple hurricanes; I saw that myself when I was the first international Minister to visit Black River following the hurricane in December last year. We will continue that focus on climate resilience investment, and in some cases we can use procurement to offer British firms that work in individual countries. That will always remain a priority, and it is something that we take extremely seriously.

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

I gently remind right hon. and hon. Members that “Erskine May” is very clear, in paragraph 22.20, that the King’s name should not be used to try to influence debate.