Business of the House

Gareth Thomas Excerpts

Thursday 11th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I certainly will. That is a huge achievement and it is fantastic for the hon. Gentleman’s constituents, but this is also an opportunity to thank volunteers and charities not just in his constituency but across our country who do such fantastic work on loneliness and other matters. These issues come into sharp focus at this time of year, of course, and I pay tribute to the charity.

[Gareth Thomas (Harrow West) (Lab/Co-op)]

According to the UN, Sri Lanka, where many of my constituents are from, is experiencing one of its worst ever flooding disasters as a result of Cyclone Ditwah, which hit two weeks ago. Given that over 600 people have died already and over 2 million have been severely affected, and given the existing levels of hardship in Sri Lanka, may we have a statement on what more Britain could do to help, either directly or through the UN and the multilateral bank system?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

Our thoughts are certainly with the people of Sri Lanka, and my hon. Friend speaks with great authority on these matters. We have already provided £675,000 to address the immediate humanitarian need in Sri Lanka. We are monitoring the situation very closely and stand ready to provide further support if necessary.