Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings between Chinese and UK officials took place between October 1 2024 and March 1 2025.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

UK officials regularly engage with Chinese counterparts in order to further UK interests, cooperating on areas of mutual interest and challenging on areas where we disagree. This government is taking a consistent, long-term and pragmatic approach to managing the UK’s relations with China. It is only right that we engage with China where there are clear UK and global interests, including on international stability, climate, health and bolstering our trade relationship.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the submission by Historic England on potential impact of the Royal Mint Court Development on the Tower of London.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

An appointed Inspector held a public inquiry into the proposals in question, considering a range of evidence.

As this case will come before ministers in MHCLG to determine, it would not be appropriate to comment

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of impact of (a) indirect flights via Turkey and (b) other travel restrictions on UK nationals travelling to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We recognise that the status quo in Cyprus creates serious challenges for the Turkish Cypriot community, including in relation to international travel. The Government believes a just and lasting settlement is the best way of resolving these challenges and improving the lives of all Cypriots. On 18 March, I attended talks in Geneva brokered by the UN Secretary General where I encouraged all sides to engage constructively towards a Cyprus Settlement.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the finding in the Transnational Repression Origin Country Case Study by Freedom House that an increase in the presence of state employees from the People's Republic of China in a particular country brings an attendant increase in transnational repression; and whether this will be taken into account when considering the application of the People's Republic of China to redevelop Royal Mint Court.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

As set out in a joint letter by the Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary to the Planning Inspector on 14 January, the Home Office has considered the breadth of national security issues in relation to the planning application.

It would not be appropriate to comment in further detail on specific matters relating to national security.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what representations she received from the Metropolitan Police Service on the People's Republic of China's application to develop Royal Mint Court between 1 November 2024 and 15 February 2025; and whether a copy of correspondence on this matter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

No such representations have been received by the department from the Metropolitan Police Service.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the oral contribution by the Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth of 5 February 2025, Official Report, column 373WH, on account-based online play, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that online gambling operators are fully implementing protections for people experiencing harm.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Gambling Commission is in the process of introducing a number of regulatory reforms that build on current account level player protections, including financial vulnerability checks, improved tools for financial limit setting and improved choice in direct marketing.

Regulatory enforcement is the role of the Gambling Commission as set out in the Gambling Act 2005. Gambling operators are required to send the Commission a regulatory return for each type of activity for which they hold a licence. There are a variety of ways that the Commission can deal with non-compliance by licensees, ranging from enhanced compliance procedures and regulatory settlements to licence reviews and formal enforcement action.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his polices of Taliban (a) restrictions on the practice of religion and (b) the targeting of (i) Shia Muslims, (ii) Sikhs, (ii) Hindus and (iv) other religious minorities in Afghanistan; and if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of his support for international efforts to help ensure that the right to freedom of religion or belief is upheld in that country.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials regularly press the Taliban to respect the human rights of all Afghans. In October 2024, we co-sponsored a Human Rights Council resolution which extended the mandate of UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett to monitor and report on the human rights situation for another year, including on minority groups. Ministers and officials engage regularly with a range of Afghans, including religious and ethnic minorities, to ensure our policy and programming reflect the needs of the entire population. Without truly inclusive governance that reflects the religious, ethnic, gender and cultural diversity of Afghanistan, we will never see an Afghanistan at peace with itself and its neighbours.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made air travel arrangements for direct flights with any self declared state recognised by other countries.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

In order for an international direct flight to take place, the relevant airports need to be designated as international customs airports.

Under the Chicago Convention, only the state with sovereignty over the territory in which an airport is located may designate that airport as an international customs airport, and grant permission for flights to operate between the UK and its territory. Making arrangements to operate direct flights to airports not so designated and without such permission would place the UK in breach of its obligations to respect that state’s rights under the Convention.

Furthermore, rights to operate direct flights would require an Air Services Agreement to be in place between the UK and the state with sovereignty over the relevant territory.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Hong Kong counterpart on Russian sanction evasion through Hong Kong.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

In his recent meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs spoke about global stability, including in Ukraine, where Russia continues its illegal war. The UK has already sanctioned a range of entities operating in third countries over military supply to Russia. This includes 31 entities based in China and Hong Kong under the Russia sanctions regulations. The UK is continuously working to strengthen our sanctions regime. We will continue to close loopholes, come down hard on sanctions evaders, crack down on sanctions circumvention and work with our international partners to undermine Russia's attempts to build global resilience to Western sanctions.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will impose secondary sanctions on Hong Kong financial institutions found to be supporting sanction evasion.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

UK sanctions bind UK nationals and entities everywhere. This is different to 'secondary sanctions' which are enforced outside of the sanctioning country's jurisdiction. The UK is committed to curtail Russia's use of the international financial system to support its war efforts and have powers to target foreign financial institutions facilitating this. On 24 February we designated a Kyrgyz based bank using these powers. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) continues to keep potential sanctions designations under close review. It is not appropriate to speculate on future designations, as to do so could reduce their impact.

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