Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the recent imprisonment of Georgian opposition leaders (a) Mamuka Khazaradze, (b) Badri Japaridze and Giorgi Vashadze; whether he has made an assessment of the potential motivations of these; and what representations he has made to his Georgian counterparts in relation to these arrests.

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

I am seriously concerned by the recent sentences imposed on several prominent Georgian opposition figures including Mr Japaridze, Mr Khazaradze and Mr Vashadze. These were blatantly politically-motivated, and aimed at blocking political opposition from future elections. On 23 June I called on Georgian Dream to end its misuse of the courts to silence dissent, and free all political prisoners. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) summoned the Georgian Chargé d'Affaires on 30 June, to make clear the UK's firm opposition to Georgia's increasingly harmful trajectory. We continue to keep the worsening situation under close review, and on 1 July I spoke with a number of European partners to discuss our collective concerns.

I have consistently expressed my serious concerns about Georgia's deteriorating democratic trajectory, which has adversely affected UK-Georgia bilateral relations. Any assessment of the current situation must also take into account Mr Ivanishvili's and his affiliates' influence on Georgia's political landscape. The UK's support for the Georgian people's Euro-Atlantic aspirations remains steadfast, and we stand ready to assist in any return to a trajectory towards European values and democratic norms.

We do not comment on or speculate about future sanctions designations in any context, as to do so could reduce their effectiveness.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of Bidzina Ivanishvili and his affiliates on support for Georgian democracy; and whether he is considering sanctions.

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

I am seriously concerned by the recent sentences imposed on several prominent Georgian opposition figures including Mr Japaridze, Mr Khazaradze and Mr Vashadze. These were blatantly politically-motivated, and aimed at blocking political opposition from future elections. On 23 June I called on Georgian Dream to end its misuse of the courts to silence dissent, and free all political prisoners. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) summoned the Georgian Chargé d'Affaires on 30 June, to make clear the UK's firm opposition to Georgia's increasingly harmful trajectory. We continue to keep the worsening situation under close review, and on 1 July I spoke with a number of European partners to discuss our collective concerns.

I have consistently expressed my serious concerns about Georgia's deteriorating democratic trajectory, which has adversely affected UK-Georgia bilateral relations. Any assessment of the current situation must also take into account Mr Ivanishvili's and his affiliates' influence on Georgia's political landscape. The UK's support for the Georgian people's Euro-Atlantic aspirations remains steadfast, and we stand ready to assist in any return to a trajectory towards European values and democratic norms.

We do not comment on or speculate about future sanctions designations in any context, as to do so could reduce their effectiveness.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the political situation in Georgia on (a) UK-Georgia bilateral relations and (b) UK support for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration.

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

I am seriously concerned by the recent sentences imposed on several prominent Georgian opposition figures including Mr Japaridze, Mr Khazaradze and Mr Vashadze. These were blatantly politically-motivated, and aimed at blocking political opposition from future elections. On 23 June I called on Georgian Dream to end its misuse of the courts to silence dissent, and free all political prisoners. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) summoned the Georgian Chargé d'Affaires on 30 June, to make clear the UK's firm opposition to Georgia's increasingly harmful trajectory. We continue to keep the worsening situation under close review, and on 1 July I spoke with a number of European partners to discuss our collective concerns.

I have consistently expressed my serious concerns about Georgia's deteriorating democratic trajectory, which has adversely affected UK-Georgia bilateral relations. Any assessment of the current situation must also take into account Mr Ivanishvili's and his affiliates' influence on Georgia's political landscape. The UK's support for the Georgian people's Euro-Atlantic aspirations remains steadfast, and we stand ready to assist in any return to a trajectory towards European values and democratic norms.

We do not comment on or speculate about future sanctions designations in any context, as to do so could reduce their effectiveness.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Georgian counterpart on (a) human rights and (b) the independence of the media in Georgia.

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

On 15 May I raised my wide-ranging concerns about recent repressive legislation on civil society, media, and the opposition; restrictions on freedom of assembly and arbitrary arrests; and growing anti-Western rhetoric with high-level representatives of Georgian Dream. On 18 June I discussed my concerns about Georgian Dream's repressive legislation to restrict civil society, media, and opposition voices with Georgian 5th President Zourabichvili, and expressed my support for her work supporting democracy in Georgia. A free and fair media are crucial to any modern European state. On 26 June our Ambassador to Georgia raised concerns about attacks on civil society, media and non-governmental organisations with Georgian Dream Foreign Minister Botchorishvili. Following the recent sentencing to terms of imprisonment of opposition leaders, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office summoned the Georgian Chargé d'Affaires on 30 June, to make clear the UK's firm opposition to Georgia's increasingly harmful trajectory. We continue to keep the worsening situation under close review, and on 1 July I spoke with a number of European partners to discuss our collective concerns.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which countries she is negotiating with on the use of eGates; and what the status of those negotiations are.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him on 16 June to Question 54204.

Fairtrade tea campaign

UK Government recognition of the state of Palestine

Press ownership by foreign states

Found: Helen Morgan REPORT STAGE Wednesday 18 June 2025 108 Nadia Whittome Ellie Chowns Dr Rupa Huq James MacCleary

Found: Helen Morgan REPORT STAGE Tuesday 17 June 2025 108 Nadia Whittome Ellie Chowns Dr Rupa Huq James MacCleary

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