Statehood and Sea-level Rise

Kirsty McNeill Excerpts

Tuesday 15th September 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for International Development (Kirsty McNeill)]

My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Indo-Pacific (Baroness Winterton of Doncaster) has today made the following statement:

In recent years, many small island developing states have continued to voice concerns about the issues they will have to deal with as a result of the encroaching sea. These issues are particularly acute and urgent for those islands only a few metres above current sea levels.

The UK has for many years worked in partnership with those island states to address the impacts of climate change and rising sea levels, and we will continue to do so. It is also right for the UK to address the concerns of SIDS about the implications for their statehood of potential future rising sea levels.

It has been the long-held position of the UK under successive Governments that the normal criteria applied for recognition of statehood are that the entity should have, and seem likely to continue to have, a clearly defined territory with a permanent population under effective control of the Government, and independence in external relations. The UK has, however, accepted that other factors may also be relevant.

In this respect, His Majesty’s Government acknowledge the real and present challenge that rising sea levels induced by climate change pose for states. As sea levels rise, coastlines are likely to regress, and territory may become completely inundated and lost. Such scenarios should not automatically call into question the statehood of those island states already recognised by the UK, nor should the disappearance of one of the normal criteria for statehood necessarily require us to withdraw recognition.

I can confirm that in such scenarios, the starting point for His Majesty’s Government is to continue to recognise a state, notwithstanding the loss of some or all of its land territory to rising sea levels. Due regard would then need to be given to the prevailing circumstances in each case, which would include—among other considerations—the other criteria of statehood set out above, and the wishes of the people of that state.

These would, in modern times, be situations without precedent, and if they arise, the international community should approach them with due care and sensitivity.

[HCWS348]

25th Anniversary of 9/11

Kirsty McNeill Excerpts

Friday 11th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for International Development (Kirsty McNeill)]

I am very grateful to the hon. Member for Havant (Alan Mak) for securing this important debate. He spoke movingly and has given the House an opportunity to mark the 25th anniversary of the deadly terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001.

Twenty-five years on, it can be tempting to think of 9/11 as a moment in history—an event, perhaps, for a textbook, museum or documentary. Those, of course, are important, and I will come to them later, but for thousands of families, 9/11 is not history at all; it is a memory deeply felt of someone who left home that morning and never returned. So today we begin with them. We remember the nearly 3,000 people killed in New York, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. We remember the victims from more than 90 countries. We remember the 67 British citizens who lost their lives. We stand with those who lost people they loved and those who have carried that loss for a quarter of a century.

The hon. Member for Havant spoke movingly about his constituent Sally Taber and the loss of her godson, Oli Bennett. I pay tribute to Oli and offer my deepest sympathies to Sally, to all his family and to all those who knew and loved him. The charitable work established in his memory is a truly powerful example of how a life can continue to inspire hope and opportunity for others.

We should also remember and honour the extraordinary courage that was shown that day by the firefighters who climbed the stairs of the World Trade Centre while thousands of people were trying to escape, and by the police officers, paramedics and ordinary members of the public who did extraordinary things, putting the safety of others before their own. Passengers aboard Flight 93 acted with remarkable bravery. As my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South West (Dr Arthur) said, many first responders lost their lives, but others have lived with the physical and mental effects of what they experienced. Their courage deserves more than our admiration; it deserves our lasting remembrance.

The courage we remember today was individual, but the response that followed was truly collective, as the hon. Members for Christchurch (Sir Christopher Chope) and for Strangford (Jim Shannon) have told us. For 25 years, the United Kingdom and the United States have stood together in remembrance, and we do so again as we mark this anniversary. The hon. Member for Havant asked about closer educational and commemorative links with the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Our diplomatic network in the United States has worked closely with American partners and other stakeholders in support of this anniversary, and we will continue to look for opportunities to deepen US-UK co-operation in that regard.

My hon. Friend the Minister for the Americas represents His Majesty’s Government at commemorative events in New York today, including at the National September 11 Memorial at Ground Zero and at a special memorial at the Queen Elizabeth II September 11th Garden. There, he will join victims, families, survivors, first responders, American representatives and international partners.

Here in the United Kingdom, the anniversary was marked this morning with a special changing of the guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace. It echoed the special programme of music played there on 13 September 2001, when the British and American national anthems were played as a clear signal of our unity and support. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary stood alongside the United States ambassador to the United Kingdom, Warren Stephens, to remember. They were joined by representatives of victims’ families and UK emergency services. Those events cannot undo the pain of the past, but they are a way of us saying that all lives that were lost still matter, their sacrifices still matter, and we will never forget what happened.

The hon. Member for Havant rightly focused on our responsibility to pass the memory of 9/11 on to a new generation. Many of us remember where we were when we heard the news, and my hon. Friend the Member for Watford (Matt Turmaine) reflected on that powerfully, but many young people have no memory of that day; many were not yet born. Future generations should understand what happened and why it mattered. Education should explain clearly the harm caused by terrorism. It should tell the stories of the victims, and it should recognise the courage of the first responders.

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum plays a vital role in preserving such stories and helping new generations understand both the scale of the attacks and the individual lives affected. Wider digital archives allow people around the world to hear testimony, see photographs and explore historical records, and the UK is playing its part too. Through institutions such as the National Archives, records connected to September 11th are being preserved so that future generations can continue to learn from them. The hon. Member for Havant asked about how 9/11 is taught and remembered in schools, and I will ensure that his points are drawn to the attention of my right hon. Friend the Education Secretary and the Minister for the Americas.

The attacks of September 11th demonstrated, with truly tragic clarity, why our collective security matters. Following 9/11, NATO invoked article 5 for the first time in its history, because our allies recognised that an attack on one was an attack on all. In the years that followed, British and American service personnel would stand side by side once again in Afghanistan. Many never returned home, and we remember them today, too, and recognise the lasting impact on veterans and military families.

Today, this House has come together to remember those who lost their lives, honour the courage shown that day, and stand with the families and communities whose lives were changed forever. As we mark this 25th anniversary, let us remember that behind every single statistic was a person, behind every headline was a family and behind every act of remembrance is a promise: “You will never be forgotten.”

Question put and agreed to.

Falkland Islands: Sovereignty

Kirsty McNeill Excerpts

Tuesday 8th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Calum Miller (Bicester and Woodstock) (LD)]

(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs if he will make a statement on comments from the Argentinian President and President Donald Trump regarding the UK’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.

[The Minister for International Development (Kirsty McNeill)]

As my right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Defence Secretary have made clear, the UK remains steadfast in its support for the Falkland Islanders’ right to self-determination. There can be no doubt that the Falkland Islands are British for as long as they want to be. Falkland Islanders have made their views very clear in a referendum in 2013, at the United Nations year after year and to anyone who makes the effort to engage directly with the community. The UK also supports the right of Falkland Islanders to develop their natural resources for their own economic benefit. That is an integral part of their right to self-determination.

This is not the first time that an Argentine Government have made economic threats against the islanders, yet those threats have not prevented the community’s remarkable economic development over the years. The measures announced by President Milei will not change the UK’s unwavering commitment to the islanders.

The UK wants to continue to maintain a modern and constructive relationship with Argentina across a range of shared interests. However, there can be no doubt about our commitment to the Falkland Islanders, their democratic rights and the UK’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. The Government will continue to work closely with the Falkland Islands Government to defend their rights now and into the future.

The US is our closest ally. It, too, is in no doubt about our unwavering support for the islanders.

[Calum Miller]

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for granting this urgent question.

As surely as night follows day, another Argentine President facing economic trouble at home has tried to distract attention by threatening British sovereignty. This is a President who, I remind colleagues, was praised by the Leader of the Opposition. When asked whether Britain needed our own Milei, and whether she was such a politician, she replied, “Yes and yes”. Meanwhile, President Trump, so loudly cheered by Members of Reform and the Conservatives, has also declared that the US is considering changing its stance on British sovereignty over the Falklands. The decision of sovereignty over the Falklands does not belong to President Milei or to President Trump; it belongs to the people of the Falklands alone. They have spoken unequivocally and we should support them.

The renewed threat to the Falklands should sharpen Ministers’ minds as to the mounting security challenges facing our overseas territories. The world is more unstable now than at any point since the end of the cold war, yet our threadbare Navy and hollowed armed forces are perilously overstretched. Meeting the threats to our sovereign territories requires genuine investment. Can the Minister update the House on what steps will be taken to increase our defence spending rapidly, and on whether the Government are considering Liberal Democrat proposals for defence bonds, investing in our critical capabilities and restoring British deterrence?

President Milei has now threatened sanctions and criminal charges on energy companies operating offshore from the Falklands, including British firms. That would be a direct—

[Calum Miller]

That would be a direct economic attack on operations from British sovereign territory. Is the Minister preparing retaliatory measures and sanctions in the event that British companies operating around the Falklands are targeted? The Government must be resolute in defending Britain’s interests and the people of the Falklands. Has the Minister called in both the Argentine and US ambassadors to make it clear that British sovereignty over the Falklands is non-negotiable? If she has not, will she?

[Kirsty McNeill]

The hon. Gentleman is completely right that we are in a volatile world, but one thing is absolutely unchanging: the United Kingdom’s position on the Falkland Islands, which is of long standing. The Falkland Islands are a British overseas territory and will remain so for as long as the islanders wish. As I stated in my opening remarks, we want a constructive relationship with Argentina, but we are absolutely clear, and they are in no doubt, about our position on this question. On defence spending more broadly, the Prime Minister and the Chancellor remain committed to fully funding the defence investment plan and to meeting our NATO commitment of 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

[Emily Thornberry (Islington South and Finsbury) (Lab)]

The Israeli Minister Ben Gvir has said, “It is time for the state of Israel to publicly recognise that the Falkland Islands are Argentine territory under occupation”, and that we, the British, are not merely occupying the territory but, in carrying out oil drilling there, are stealing money from the Argentine people. Does the Minister think he knows that the Argentine Government agree with him and, as a result, have filed criminal complaints against Navitas Petroleum, which is of course an Israeli company? Does she think he knows that the company was very happy to sign a deal with the UK to explore the Sea Lion oil project in the British Falkland Islands? Or does she think that Ben Gvir was just too busy thinking of new ways to inflict ever yet more cruelty on the Palestinian people?

[Kirsty McNeill]

We completely and utterly reject the characterisation that my right hon. Friend describes. The UK supports the rights of the Falkland Islanders to develop their natural resources for their own economic benefit, because that is an integral part of their self-determination. The decision by the Falkland Islands Government to pursue hydrocarbon production is a commercial decision for them to make alongside the commercial companies involved.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Wendy Morton (Aldridge-Brownhills) (Con)]

Let me say at the outset that we on the Conservative Benches are clear that the Falkland Islands are British, and they will remain British for as long as the Falkland Islanders wish them to be. British soldiers fought and died to defend our sovereignty and the freedom of the Falkland Islanders. That sacrifice will never be forgotten, and we will always stand by the people of the Falklands and their overwhelming desire to remain British. Before the summer recess, the Leader of the Opposition and I met Cheryl Roberts MLA and other representatives of the Falkland Islands Government. We were clear in reaffirming our unwavering support for the islanders and their right to self-determination.

Our continued connection with the Falklands is of vital importance, as a matter not just of history but of sovereignty, security and principle. The Government must therefore ensure that they are standing up unequivocally for the Falkland Islands and their choice to stay British. Therefore, what conversations have the Foreign Secretary and Ministers had with the United States Administration to ensure that our position and, above all, the democratic wishes of the Falkland Islanders are clearly understood? What direct representations has the Foreign Secretary made to the Argentinian Government following President Milei’s latest remarks? Is Argentina raising the future of the Falklands through diplomatic channels with His Majesty’s Government, or is it simply ramping up its language publicly? Argentina has threatened sanctions against companies involved in the lawful development of the Falkland Islands oil resources. What representations has the Foreign Secretary made in response, and what steps are the Government taking to protect those legitimate commercial interests and the Falkland Islanders’ rights to develop their own natural resources? There can be no negotiation over sovereignty unless and until the Falkland Islanders themselves wish it. The United Kingdom must stand with the Falkland Islands and the right of the islanders to self-determination.

[Kirsty McNeill]

I share the right hon. Lady’s conviction that the sacrifices of British armed forces personnel should never be forgotten in relation to this matter. I share, too, her desire to see the UK Government stand up unequivocally for the Falkland Islanders’ right to self-determination, which is exactly what we have been doing. We are in regular ministerial and senior official engagement with Argentina, which is why I can say with such conviction that it is in absolutely no doubt—and no Member of this House should be in any doubt—about the UK Government’s position. The future of the Falkland Islands is for the Falkland Islanders to determine, and nobody else.

[Dan Carden (Liverpool Walton) (Lab)]

I welcome the Minister’s strong message today, standing alongside the Falkland Islanders in their desire to remain British. We have 14 overseas territories with over a quarter of a million people. May I ask that we take this opportunity to consider how we can better represent all those people for whom we as a Parliament, and as a Government, have a responsibility, for their health and education, and for the relationship between Britain and our overseas territories?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I can reassure my hon. Friend that work is ongoing across Government to ensure that everyone in the British overseas territories retains the full support of the UK Government. We are in regular dialogue with their representatives, and of course we continue to ensure that their rights to health and education and the other matters that he mentioned are uppermost in our minds at all times.

[Sir Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con)]

Do the Government accept that in order to deter any possibility of military action against the Falklands, it is important not to send the wrong signals? In 1982 there was the withdrawal of HMS Endurance specifically, but there were also huge anti-nuclear campaigns that sent the wrong message to aggressors around the world. Can the Government confirm that, this time, they will not send the wrong signals—over Diego Garcia, for example—or any suggestion that we do not have the naval and air assets to deter and, if necessary, to defend?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I am happy to confirm to the right hon. Gentleman that we are sending the most unequivocal message imaginable that the Falkland Islands are British for as long as they choose to be. It is also important to reassure the House that our forces in the south Atlantic are maintained at the appropriate level to ensure the defence of the Falkland Islands against any potential threat. The right hon. Member mentioned Diego Garcia, and I want to underscore for the House that that is a key strategic military asset for both the UK and the US. It has protected our shared security for nearly 60 years, and that is precisely why we did a deal to ensure that we could maintain the long-term operational control and security of Diego Garcia.

[Alex Ballinger (Halesowen) (Lab)]

President Milei has coupled his renewed sovereignty claim with an increase in defence spending and plans to expand the naval base at Tierra del Fuego. In the light of these developments, can the Minister tell us if we have updated our threat assessments, and if the Falkland Islands’ air, land and maritime defences are adequate to ensure the islands’ and the islanders’ security?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I would like to thank my hon. Friend for his service. We are confident that the situation that we have in place with defensive capability is adequate for the threats faced.

[Sir Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green) (Con)]

When the Government deal with our allies and friends the Americans, they might remind them about the disputed islands that they are in charge of—Wake Island, Navassa Island, Bajo, Swains Island, Guantanamo Bay—all of which have been supported by the United Kingdom. Should we think about not supporting them? Of course not, but we might just mention them. When we retook the Falklands, the British Government had at their hands 52 frigates and destroyers and well over 100,000 soldiers and naval personnel. Does the Minister not think that the best message we could send would be to get our defences back up?

--- Later in debate ---

[Kirsty McNeill]

We are in ongoing conversation with our closest ally, as Members will appreciate, and the United States is crystal clear about our position. The right hon. Gentleman mentioned that we need to invest in our defence capabilities, and of course that is one of the primary responsibilities of the UK Government. I would gently remind him of the situation that we inherited. It is this Government that have made commitments to invest strongly in our armed forces, and we are proud to have done so.

[Mr Paul Foster (South Ribble) (Lab)]

Like many, I have a close allegiance to the Falkland Islands and the islanders. As a 19-year-old young British soldier, I did my first operational tour of duty in the islands in 1990 and subsequently went back in 1992. Does the Minister agree that while the Falkland Islanders state that they wish to be a UK overseas territory, they will always remain that? To put this into perspective, in the latest referendum, 99.8% of Falkland Islanders voted to support that position, on a 92% turnout. To put it into perspective again, only three islanders voted against.

[Kirsty McNeill]

I am sure the whole House will join me in thanking my hon. Friend for his service. It was an extraordinary sacrifice by him and his family, and we are deeply grateful for it. I could not agree more that the wishes of the Falkland Islanders could not be more clear and must be respected.

[Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) (LD)]

I do not know whether this is something I still need to declare, Mr Speaker, but I visited the Falkland Islands in 2003 as a guest of the Falkland Islands Government. They have never invited me back. It was apparent then that the principle of self-determination, on which we fought and for which British service people lost their lives, remained unchanged. I have seen nothing to change that view today. When the Minister speaks with the American ambassador, might she gently remind them that in 1982 the Americans were not exactly full-throated in their support of us at that point? It made no difference then and it should make no difference now.

[Kirsty McNeill]

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his direct engagement with the Falkland Islanders—I know that such engagement is always appreciated by everyone in our British overseas territories—and as a direct result he has been able to impress on the House exactly what the Falkland Islanders want, which is their right to self-determination. He mentions our relationship with the United States. Because it is our closest ally, our relationship with the United States is one of candour, and it could not be clearer about our position, which is that the Falkland Islands will remain British for precisely as long as the Falkland Islanders want them to.

[Amanda Martin (Portsmouth North) (Lab)]

People in Portsmouth are incredibly angry about this. We waved those ships off in ’82, and so many families have a connection to someone who served. We know that 255 brave British personnel died defending the Falkland Islands, and 86 of them were from the Royal Navy. This issue is settled. Argentina was defeated and, above all, the Falkland Islanders have made their choice: they want to remain British. Does the Minister agree that the Argentinian Government and President Trump must stop this disgraceful, disrespectful interference and stop treating the Falkland Islands as a bargaining chip?

[Kirsty McNeill]

Can I start by thanking my hon. Friend for her work on the overseas territories, to which I know she is deeply committed? Can she please pass on, on behalf of the whole House, our thanks to her constituents for their bravery, courage and sacrifice? I could not agree with her more: this question is settled, because it is settled in the minds of the Falkland Islanders, who want to remain British, and they will do so with our support.

[John Glen (Salisbury) (Con)]

Sam Moody is my constituent. He is the chief executive of Rockhopper. During my time in this House, he has been absolutely scrupulous in following the laws of this country and respecting the Falkland Islanders. Will the Minister reassure him and the whole House that this Government will protect the interests of Rockhopper, whatever commercial arrangements it has in place, knowing that Rockhopper has always complied with legislation and respected whichever Government have been in power?

[Kirsty McNeill]

Yes, of course, the right hon. Gentleman should feel free to pass on to Mr Moody the view of this House and of the British Government that it is part of the Falkland Islanders’ right to self-determination that they may develop their own natural resources. We stand four-square behind them in doing so, and we stand four-square behind the companies that are involved in doing so, too.

[Rachel Taylor (North Warwickshire and Bedworth) (Lab)]

I thank the hon. Member for Bicester and Woodstock (Calum Miller) for securing this important question. Brave British servicepeople died defending the Falkland Islanders’ right to freedom and self-determination more than 40 years ago. We must never forget. Will the Minister confirm that this Labour Government will do the right thing and never compromise when it comes to defending British sovereign territory in the Falklands?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I confirm to my hon. Friend that we will never, under any circumstances, compromise on the Falkland Islanders’ right to self-determination. I join her in commemorating all those who risked and lost their lives in the defence of that very principle.

[Sir John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con)]

The UK’s success in liberating the Falklands in 1982 was achieved when we had considerably greater naval resources, but it also could not have been achieved without the support of the Reagan Administration. Does the Minister not agree that that shows why it is extremely important to maintain close relations with the United States and not do anything to put those in jeopardy?

[Kirsty McNeill]

The United States remains our closest ally, and we will continue to engage with it while being absolutely clear with it about our position. No one should be in any doubt, least of all the people of the Falkland Islands, about our steadfast and unwavering commitment to the Falkland Islanders’ self-determination. We will continue to impress that on the United States Government.

[Mr Jonathan Brash (Hartlepool) (Lab)]

The Minister is understandably burdened by the need to be diplomatic. Is the reality not that President Trump can review whatever position he likes, and the Argentinian Government can make whatever threats they like, but it does not make a jot of difference to this country, because the Falkland Islands will remain British?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I can confirm that the Falkland Islands will remain British because the right of the Falkland Islanders to self-determination is absolute.

[Edward Morello (West Dorset) (LD)]

The Falkland Islands are not just British. They are part of Britain, and an attack on any part of Britain would be an article 5 situation. Yet Donald Trump, when pressed on it the other day, was far from clear on whether we can rely on US support. What are the Government doing to tighten our defence relationship with European and other allies who do understand and share our belief in collective defence?

[Kirsty McNeill]

All Members of the House will know that we are in ongoing dialogue with our European partners, and, crucially, we are committed to investing in our own defence. That is why this Government have made such strong commitments to continue defence investment.

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

Bournemouth has a close relationship to the Falklands. Twenty-two-year-old Lance Corporal Christopher Charles Thomas was killed on 30 June 1982; he was of Cardiff and Bournemouth. The people of Bournemouth formally adopted HMS Phoebe and granted it the freedom of the borough; HMS Phoebe patrolled the south Atlantic after the war. I have been contacted by constituents who are outraged by the comments they have heard—in particular, I am thinking of Richard, of East Southbourne and Tuckton, who wants the Government to conduct an urgent review into the defence of the Falklands. Will the Minister give my constituents that assurance?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I join my hon. Friend in remembering Lance Corporal Thomas. His constituents should be reassured, as indeed should everyone in the Falkland Islands, that we are absolutely committed to Falkland Islanders’ right to self-determination, we are committed to their defence and we are committed to them remaining British.

[Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)]

The Falkland Islands were British long before Argentina even came into existence, but the key is building a diplomatic ability to ensure that that message goes home loud and clear. What efforts are the Minister and other Ministers in the Foreign Office making to build that diplomatic alliance, so that we do not get into a position in which military action is necessary?

[Kirsty McNeill]

This is a matter of all our diplomatic relationships being brought to bear. The key is that the message goes out from this House today, loud and clear—and is heard unequivocally by the people of the Falkland Islands—that we stand with them in remaining British for as long as it takes.

[Dame Meg Hillier (Hackney South and Shoreditch) (Lab/Co-op)]

Further to the points made by my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Tom Hayes), it is important that we talk here and that we have diplomacy, but what practical actions are the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence taking to ensure that there is a review of physical defence and security, so that we send a clear message to the Argentinians that they can go no further—that the words are too much, but they should go no further?

[Kirsty McNeill]

We are confident that our defensive capabilities in the south Atlantic are equal to the task.

[Sir Oliver Dowden (Hertsmere) (Con)]

The problem is that the Argentinians can smell weakness because of our approach to the Iranians’ attacks on two British bases earlier this year. Will the Minister therefore be clear that, in the light of Iranian threats to our bases this time round, we will not just seek to intercept the missiles attacking them, but attack targets in Iran if they attack our bases? That sort of signal of intent is required in relation to our overseas territories.

[Kirsty McNeill]

This Government could not have been clearer about the work that we are doing to defend our bases, and we will keep it up.

[Jacob Collier (Burton and Uttoxeter) (Lab)]

Over recess, I had the privilege of visiting the islands with Members of this House and the other place. There, we met the Falkland Islands Government and our British service personnel, and also paid tribute to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Whatever the posturing of an Argentinian President or an Israeli Minister, the Falkland Islands remain proudly British. Will the Minister join me in thanking all those service personnel on the islands for their contribution to UK defence?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I thank my hon. Friend for his visit, which will have been deeply appreciated by Falkland Islanders. I join him in commemorating and thanking everyone involved in the defence of the islands and our service personnel, wherever they are in the world.

[Robert Jenrick (Newark) (Reform)]

There is an air of total unreality hanging over this debate. Successive Governments have run down our Royal Navy to its present enfeebled state, they have conspired to surrender other British sovereign territory and we have a Government who procrastinate about signing off a new oil field in the North sea—let alone about one in the south Atlantic. Argentina senses total weakness. When will the Government step up and set out how they will rebuild our Royal Navy and meet the 3% of GDP target for our armed forces, so we can stand tall and defend ourselves and our sovereign interests once more?

[Kirsty McNeill]

This Labour Government will not take any lectures about how we should defend our interests and stand up for Britain from a party that has been fawning over Vladimir Putin.

[Kevin McKenna (Sittingbourne and Sheppey) (Lab)]

This summer, along with other Members of this House and the other place, I got to escape the heatwave here and enjoy some blessed relief in the cold weather of the Falklands, where we enjoyed the incredibly warm welcome of the Falkland Islanders. Our troops and servicepeople down there are doing incredible work and are resolute in their defence of the Falkland Islands. It was clear to me how strongly the Falkland Islanders feel that they are British, and that matches the feeling of my constituents. Can the Minister assure me that she is having conversations with the MOD, our forces and the Falklands Islands Government, to ensure that we have the right level of defence and deterrence to face this new and escalating nonsense rhetoric from Argentina?

[Kirsty McNeill]

Yes, I can confirm to my hon. Friend that we are in ongoing conversation about exactly that. I thank him for his visit; I cannot stress enough to the House how deeply Falkland Islanders appreciate it when people come to visit and can then impress on this House our unified position that the Falkland Islands are British and will remain so.

[Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con)]

Currently, the Royal Navy has an offshore patrol vessel permanently stationed in the Falkland Islands, but given the threat that is being faced and our need to demonstrate resolve—the sort of thing that, sadly, we did not demonstrate in the early 1980s, which led to miscalculation—will the Minister consider speaking to her MOD colleagues to see whether naval assets might at least pay a visit to the Falkland Islands, with a significant platform?

[Kirsty McNeill]

As I stated previously, we are confident that our defensive forces in the south Atlantic are equal to the task. In terms of conveying resolve, it is incredibly important that an absolutely united message is sent from this House to partners in all capitals and to the Falkland Islanders that we are resolute in their defence.

[Mr Toby Perkins (Chesterfield) (Lab)]

The hon. Member for Bicester and Woodstock (Calum Miller) is absolutely right to say that what is behind this is the deep unpopularity of President Milei; it is not anything actually that the UK has done. It is to the credit of this House that we are entirely united, whichever party we are from, in saying that the Falkland Islands are British and will remain so. Does my hon. Friend agree that those who try to make political points to separate us actually do those who oppose us a favour, and that what they should do is say that the UK Government, His Majesty’s Opposition and all of us in this House are entirely united on this subject?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I very much agree with my hon. Friend that a huge disservice is done to the people of the Falkland Islands and to our service personnel any time that politicking takes place, instead of an absolutely united and unwavering conviction emanating from this House.

[Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin) (Con)]

I pay tribute to all the Falkland Islands veterans in my own constituency and, indeed, around the country, and to the hon. Member for South Ribble (Mr Foster), who is no longer in his place. Is it not the case that we should all be seeking to de-escalate the rhetoric, but at the same time send a very strong signal—a resolve—to President Milei, that if we are required to do so, this country will once again defend the Falkland Islands militarily and, in between that, certainly defend it economically?

--- Later in debate ---

[Kirsty McNeill]

I could not agree with the right hon. Gentleman more in so far as the important thing in this debate is clarity, which is why I am saying with such conviction: our unwavering position as a UK Government in a volatile world is that the Falkland Islands are British and will remain British.

[Adam Jogee (Newcastle-under-Lyme) (Lab)]

The House speaks with one voice when it comes to the Falklands being British. Like colleagues across the House, I represent many veterans in Newcastle-under-Lyme who served in the Falklands, and I thank them for their service. I am grateful to the Minister for her answers to date, but can I suggest that a Minister of the Crown gets on a plane and goes down to the Falklands to stand in solidarity with the people there as the Union flag is flown—and the sooner the better?

[Kirsty McNeill]

May I please pass on to my hon. Friend’s constituents our thanks for their service, too? Ministers have visited and do so regularly. We are in ongoing dialogue with representatives of the Falkland Islanders. Again, I think it is very important that the message goes out from this House that the Falkland Islands are British and will stay so.

[Clive Jones (Wokingham) (LD)]

Can the Minister confirm that the Government are reviewing the military infrastructure and surveillance capabilities on the islands in response to Argentina’s announced plans to bolster its military presence?

[Kirsty McNeill]

As the hon. Gentleman would expect, we do not go into operational detail about our defence capabilities, but I can reassure the House that the Government are confident that our defence capabilities are as he would hope and as we need them to be.

[Tristan Osborne (Chatham and Aylesford) (Lab)]

In 1982, the people of Chatham and Chatham dockyard waved off the boats that went to safeguard our territory in the south Pacific. HMS Medway, a ship named after our river in Chatham, is there today, with its sailors working to protect and secure that territory. Will the Minister pay testament to the hard work of the Royal Navy to defend the territory? What further advice and security can she give to ensure that we have the right defence posture to counter any aggression?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I pay tribute to everyone serving on HMS Medway and, indeed, all our armed forces personnel, and offer them our unwavering commitment to their protection and the protection of all British territories overseas.

[Gregory Stafford (Farnham and Bordon) (Con)]

Like other Members, I had the privilege of going to the Falkland Islands last month. I thank the Commander British Forces South Atlantic Islands and all his staff for their welcome and professionalism. While there are clearly domestic issues going on in Argentina, the cold hand of China is not far from sight, whether it be illegal fishing in the blue hole, secret missile bases in Neuquén, or nefarious activity in Antarctica. What discussions has the Minister had with European and US counterparts about dealing with the threat that China poses, given that it is in all our interests in the free western world that the Falkland Islands remain British in perpetuity?

--- Later in debate ---

[Kirsty McNeill]

As I have already stated to the House, we are in ongoing dialogue through all our diplomatic relations to stress to people in every capital—but, most of all, to the people of the Falkland Islands—that the Falkland Islands remain British and always will.

[Ayoub Khan (Birmingham Perry Barr) (Ind)]

It is concerning to hear the sabre-rattling from Argentina towards a self-governing population who overwhelmingly identify as British. It is not just the United States that is fanning the flames, however. Israel’s sanctioned Minister of National Security has called for Israel to recognise the Falklands as Argentinian, and its President has stated:

“Israel will act against Britain.”

Ignoring the irony of an Israeli Minister accusing another country of illegal occupation, what discussions has the Foreign Secretary had on this matter with our supposed ally, which is trying to undermine British sovereignty?

[Kirsty McNeill]

We make clear to all our partners, all our allies and, indeed, people in every capital of the world that the Falklands Islands are British. We are resolute in that, and that position will not change.

[Dr Luke Evans (Hinckley and Bosworth) (Con)]

The Minister has spoken about sovereignty, and she is right, and she will be aware that under the Offshore Minerals Ordinance 1994, any decision on exploration has to come to this country. It just so happens that the very Energy Secretary who banned new licences in the UK will now be that decision holder. Can she rule out that if the Falklands asks for exploration in its area on oil and gas, this Government will not block it?

[Kirsty McNeill]

The hon. Gentleman will be aware that it is an integral part of a country’s self-determination that it can develop its own natural resources for its own economic benefit. That will be a decision for the Falkland Islanders. Indeed, Falkland Islands representatives have already made decisions about exactly that matter.

[Iqbal Mohamed (Dewsbury and Batley) (Ind)]

It is clear to the British public that the special relationship between the UK and the US is more special for the UK than it is for the US under Trump. With the US extending threats, bullying and tariff threats, it is akin to an abusive relationship. Will the Minister unequivocally confirm that Britain will not tolerate intimidation and blackmail by the US, Israel or others, and that British sovereignty matters more than our relationship with hostile states that are committing blatant, horrific violations of international law?

[Kirsty McNeill]

The United States is and will remain our closest ally. We have been clear with it, we have been clear with this House, and we have been clear most of all with the people of the Falkland Islands that the Falkland Islands are British.

[Ben Obese-Jecty (Huntingdon) (Con)]

I am glad to see the Government adopting a robust posture when it comes to the Falkland Islands, but this time last year at the UN General Assembly, when the President of Argentina staked a claim on the Falkland Islands, neither the former Minister for the overseas territories, the hon. Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Stephen Doughty), nor the former Foreign Secretary, the right hon. Member for Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley (Yvette Cooper), had anything to say about the matter. I would like some assurances that the Prime Minister will tackle President Milei at the UN General Assembly later this month.

The Minister talks about the military capability in the Falklands, but I gently remind her that three of the offshore patrol vessels that we currently have rotating through the Falklands are due to be sold to the Uruguayan navy in the next 18 months, and four of the Typhoons that we have down there—the Tranche 1s—are due to be decommissioned next year. As a staging post to get to the Falkland Islands, the Ascension Island is a key location, but it is shared as a base with the US. Is she confident that the US would have no problems whatsoever with our using that base should we need to take military action against Argentina?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I reject the hon. Gentleman’s characterisation. United Kingdom Ministers have been clear in every international forum in which we are present about our position on this matter, and I am pleased to underscore and repeat it today: the Falkland Islands are British.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank the Minister for her strong and resolute answers. Following the deeply concerning decision surrounding the Chagos Islands, the good people of the Falkland Islands need more than just warm words; they need iron-clad guarantees. The Minister has stood firm at the Dispatch Box today and declared unequivocally that the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands is non-negotiable. President Trump must stand by the United Kingdom. Will the Minister ensure that the international community is under absolutely no illusions that we beat the Argentinians when it mattered, that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland can and will do that again if necessary, and that those islands will remain British for as long as their people wish?

[Kirsty McNeill]

There can be no doubt in any capital in the world and, most importantly, in the Falkland Islands that the Falkland Islands are British. Their right to self-determination is absolute, and the UK Government stand as a guarantor of exactly that.

Conflict in Sudan

Kirsty McNeill Excerpts

Tuesday 8th September 2026 Westminster Hall

[The Minister for International Development (Kirsty McNeill)]

It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Allin-Khan. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham and Rainham (Naushabah Khan) for securing this important debate, and for her recent visit to Egypt, alongside my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow South (Gordon McKee). As they will have both heard, the conflict in Sudan is one of the most devastating and—I would argue—defining conflicts of the 21st century.

For the millions of people living through it, the word “crisis” just does not do it justice. That is why I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham and Rainham and others in the Chamber today for continuing to shine a light on this conflict, and I ask them to please pass on my sincere gratitude to all their constituents who have been in touch on this issue. It is incredibly inspiring to see their solidarity with people who they may never meet. I also want to pay tribute to my predecessors, my right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford East (Anneliese Dodds) and Baroness Chapman of Darlington, and the former Foreign Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley (Yvette Cooper), for their tireless efforts to strengthen the world’s response.

My message today is simple: the UK stands with the people of Sudan, and this Government, the Foreign Secretary and I stand with them too. We have heard powerfully from all the speakers today about the current situation, not least from the shadow Minister, the right hon. Member for Aldridge-Brownhills (Wendy Morton). I will not rehearse all the statistics, but I would like to add two of my own: Sudan is now the deadliest place on earth to be a health worker, and it is the second deadliest place on earth to be an aid worker. There can be no justification, in any circumstance, for attacks on those who simply seek to serve humanity. When faced with suffering on this scale, our compassion is not enough, and our outrage is not enough. I know that Members want to hear about our action, so let me go through the points that have been raised in turn.

This year, the UK has committed £146 million in support for Sudan, which will reach over 1.8 million people. Having been asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Barking (Nesil Caliskan), I am pleased to confirm that, as part of that work, we have launched a £20 million programme to support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence with medical and psychological care. To ensure that those closest to the crisis can deliver aid to the hardest-to-reach areas, we have more than doubled our support to local Sudanese responders, including to local emergency response rooms. I am proud of what we are doing on aid, but as my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham and Rainham pointed out, aid alone is not enough, which is why she sought reassurance on arms sales.

[Jim Shannon]

I very much welcome the Minister’s response; I never doubted for a second that it would be positive. My contribution was specifically about Christians, who do not seem to be seeing any of that aid coming through. What can be done to ensure the equal dispersal of aid to all ethnic groups, particularly the Christians who just do not seem to be getting it?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I apologise for not addressing that in my remarks. Equality of access to aid is obviously incredibly important. I would be delighted to write to the hon. Member after the debate on particular questions about freedom of religion or belief and equitable distribution to all communities in Sudan.

My hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham and Rainham asked for reassurance about our position on arms sales, and I want to confirm that the UK has one of the most robust and transparent export control regimes in the world. Every single licence is assessed for risk of diversion and kept under careful and continual review. We have so far reviewed over 3,000 export licences for destinations where there have been allegations of diversion or transit to Sudan, and we have thus far found no evidence of UK weapons or ammunition being used in Sudan. We will keep that under continual review.

My right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford East also asked whether the UK supports expanding the arms embargo to the whole of Sudan. I am pleased to confirm that, as she will know, negotiations on the renewal of the UN embargo are currently under way, but the UK is full-throatedly supporting efforts to extend its scope. Last year, we worked closely with the United States and other UN SC members to secure its renewal, and the UK has a long-standing bilateral arms embargo in place for the whole of Sudan, sitting alongside a separate UN arms embargo on Darfur.

Several hon. Members asked about the diplomatic priority of the conflict in Sudan in the new Foreign Office team. I want to be absolutely clear that it is central to everything that the Foreign Secretary and I are trying to achieve. We are committed to doing all we can to secure a ceasefire. In April, the UK hosted the international Sudan conference in Berlin to marshal the efforts of the 55 states present to press for a ceasefire. As the UN Security Council penholder for Sudan, we have secured eight resolutions and 12 press statements, galvanising global action towards a ceasefire. We regularly speak to members of the Quad, and others with influence, to co-ordinate efforts towards the US-led push for a truce to protect civilians and ensure that critical humanitarian aid can reach those who are most in need. Our special representative to Sudan also regularly engages with the warring parties, advocating for a ceasefire and a civilian-led transition.

I have been asked today about the nature of the conversations that we have been having. I am pleased to confirm that I was recently in Addis Ababa and was able to raise the situation directly with the chairperson of the African Union. I can also confirm that FCDO Ministers including the Foreign Secretary have raised the situation in Sudan with Emirati counterparts and other members of the Quad.

The Liberal Democrat spokesperson, the hon. Member for Esher and Walton (Monica Harding), spoke powerfully today, particularly about the need for atrocity prevention in El Obeid. I want to reflect for a moment on what we are doing there. The UK has lobbied at every level, including with the warring parties and those with influence over them. As the UN Security Council penholder, we have been advocating to highlight the risk of atrocities and push for an immediate ceasefire. On 3 July, we convened an urgent debate at the UN Human Rights Council on the situation in El Obeid, calling for urgent de-escalation, humanitarian access and safe passage for civilians. On 6 July, a UK-penned resolution urging the warring parties to agree an immediate ceasefire and comply with international law was adopted by consensus. The Liberal Democrat spokesperson also asked whether we would be extending the fact-finding mission’s mandate; I can confirm that we are indeed pushing for that, as we led for the mandate in the past.

My hon. Friend the Member for York Central (Rachael Maskell) asked about our engagement with the Sudanese civil society and diaspora. Officials engage frequently with members of the Sudanese diaspora and civil society, including through a quarterly diaspora engagement forum that co-ordinates engagement across the UK and, indeed, in the region.

My right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford East asked about the recent reports of chemical weapons use. As hon. Members might imagine, we are hugely concerned. All such allegations must be taken seriously and investigated, because any use of chemical weapons, by anyone anywhere, is utterly unacceptable. As Members will know, Sudan is a state party to the chemical weapons convention, and we expect all those in Sudan to abide by its obligations.

The right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Sir Iain Duncan Smith) brought to our attention the issue of Colombian mercenaries. I want to confirm that we have already sanctioned Colombian mercenaries suspected of involvement in atrocities in Sudan, as well as those suspected of supplying weapons to the RSF. We have recently targeted actors suspected of using the gold trade to bankroll Sudan’s brutal war from beyond its borders.

I will say a little more about gold, because it was raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Alloa and Grangemouth (Brian Leishman) and my right hon. Friend the Member for Torfaen (Nick Thomas-Symonds). In July, we announced a fresh package of sanctions against illicit gold networks. That followed four rounds of designations targeting senior SAF and RSF commanders and those suspected of being complicit in the heinous atrocities committed during the assault on El Fasher last year.

I have been asked to reflect on future sanctions. As Members will appreciate, we generally do not do that, because it limits their effectiveness, but I can assure them that their representations have been heard.

We have also focused on this situation through our work in August on the UK-convened coalition for atrocity prevention and justice in Sudan, with a two-day conference in London at which we discussed innovative civilian-protection measures and heard directly from the independent fact-finding mission ahead of its vital report, which we have just been discussing.

I am pleased to confirm that at the UN General Assembly later this month, the Foreign Secretary and I will continue to make the case that Sudan cannot, must not and will not be forgotten. As we all know so well, every single day that this conflict continues, the human cost grows, but so too does the need for dialogue, justice and peace.

[David Mundell]

Will the Minister commit—the previous Foreign Secretary, the right hon. Member for Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley (Yvette Cooper) certainly indicated this—to being proactive in bringing statements to the House of Commons in relation to the situation in Sudan? Many of the previous statements have had to come as a result of urgent questions. Proactivity from her Department would be welcomed across the House and would be helpful in shining a light on the issue.

[Kirsty McNeill]

I am delighted to confirm that I will be very proactive, yes. I am so moved by and appreciative of all Members who have come to speak today, their constituents and the work of the APPGs in which they are all involved. I happily confirm that, both to those Members with specialist knowledge and to those raising issues on behalf of constituents.

[Jim Shannon]

I thank the Minister for being generous in taking our questions. The most evil, wicked and bestial crimes have been carried out, including the murder or rape of women from ages eight to 80, the destruction of property and the infliction of injuries, with people’s arms and limbs being taken off. The House would be keen to understand whether there has been any attempt whatever to collate all those atrocities and the people involved in them, so that they can be held accountable.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kirsty McNeill]

Yes, the UK is supporting documentation attempts so that there can be accountability.

I am conscious of time, so I will draw to a close. We cannot and will not allow Sudan to slip down the agenda, globally or in this House, because Sudan matters: its people matter, their dignity matters and their future matters. The United Kingdom will continue to stand alongside them in their pursuit of peace, justice and a better future.

Ebola: Central Africa

Kirsty McNeill Excerpts

Tuesday 8th September 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for International Development (Kirsty McNeill)]

Further to my announcement in the House on 1 September, I wish to provide a more detailed written update on the Bundibugyo virus disease Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and on UK action with partners to support the African-led response, protect the UK public and help contain the outbreak.

Since the Government’s previous written ministerial statement—[Official Report, 21 May 2026; Vol. 71, c. 786WS.]—the outbreak has grown significantly. It is now the fastest growing Ebola outbreak on record. The latest data from the DRC, as of 1 September, reports 6,250 confirmed cases, and 2,744 confirmed deaths. The outbreak remains centred in Ituri, in the north-east of the country, but there is transmission in six neighbouring provinces. We congratulate Uganda, which, with the support of UK and other partners, has now been declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organisation, demonstrating the value of early action, strong surveillance and co-ordinated partner support. Wider regional readiness has improved but remains a challenge, particularly in countries with high cross-border movement and weaker health systems, including South Sudan, Burundi and the Central African Republic.

Recognising the developing needs of this outbreak, and the scale of the challenge, on 1 September I announced that the UK would provide an additional £51.8 million in funding towards the response. This builds on the £26.9 million in UK bilateral support already announced, including £21 million for the response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, support to Uganda and up to £5 million for research and development into vaccines and therapeutics. The lesson from previous Ebola outbreaks is clear: delay costs lives and ultimately costs far more. It is safer, cheaper and more effective to stop a disease at source than to deal with its consequences after it spreads. That is exactly what this funding is designed to do: to accelerate the response now in order to contain transmission and reduce the risk of wider regional spread. It will help affected countries and partners strengthen surveillance and contact tracing, expand treatment and case management capacity, improve infection prevention and control, support frontline health workers and engage communities to stop transmission.

The UK’s objectives remain to support containment at source, back the African-led response, reduce humanitarian impacts and wider secondary health impacts, strengthen regional preparedness and protect the UK public. Humanitarian access remains a significant constraint. Conflict, insecurity and armed group activity continue to disrupt operations and put responders at risk, while border measures and administrative processes are affecting the movement of personnel, equipment and supplies. The UK is working through our diplomatic missions in Kinshasa and across the region to help health and humanitarian workers move safely and quickly, and is helping to ensure that resources are directed where they are most needed.

The UK is also concerned about wider humanitarian and secondary health impacts. Ebola cases and deaths in internally displaced person camps underline the heightened risks facing vulnerable communities, where overcrowding and poor water, sanitation and hygiene increase transmission risks. Essential services, including sexual and reproductive health services, are also being disrupted. The UK is working with partners to reduce these risks and impacts, support vulnerable communities and help ensure that the response is safe, trusted and community-centred.

The UK is supporting regional preparedness and co-ordination. We have provided UK technical expertise—through the UK’s international health regulations strengthening project—alongside £1 million to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, or Africa CDC, to help co-ordinate essential equipment and medical supplies across the response. This complements national and regional plans by helping to identify priority needs and strengthen preparedness in at-risk countries and get critical supplies and expertise to where they are needed most. Support also includes direct technical assistance through the UK Health Security Agency, including embedded UKHSA advisers in Africa CDC.

The UK public health rapid support team has deployed 10 experts to support preparedness, readiness and response across the region, including through the WHO and UNICEF. They are contributing to preparedness in South Sudan with technical expertise and regional co-ordination.

The UK is supporting urgent research and development. Through UK support to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or CEPI, working with national and regional authorities, the WHO and other partners, progress is under way on new vaccines, treatments and tests. Major milestones include recruitment of over 200 patients to the first treatment trial, supported by Oxford University’s Pandemic Science Institute, and the first two of four vaccine candidates supported by CEPI, including one developed by Oxford University, entering early clinical testing in humans, as well as social and behavioural science research and modelling to inform the response.

The UK has also worked with partners to strengthen international political co-ordination for the Ebola response. The UK co-chaired BVD international partners group brings together key donors, affected countries and African response leaders to support the African-led response and sustain political and financial support. The UK continues to engage closely with international and African partners on next steps to sustain co-ordination and support for the response.

The UK is clear that safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, or SEAH, is a non-negotiable priority. We expect all UK-funded partners to meet the highest safeguarding standards, with robust systems to prevent, report and respond to incidents, and to ensure that affected people are at the centre of the response, especially the most vulnerable ones including women and girls. Safeguarding against SEAH is embedded in HM Government’s Ebola response strategy and delivery plan, including as a specific lesson learned from the 2018 outbreak.

The risk to the UK public remains low. UKHSA continues to monitor the situation, including international travel risks, and public health measures remain under review. It is very rare for Ebola cases to occur in returning travellers, but the NHS has robust procedures and specialist facilities in place to safely assess and manage any potential cases. UKHSA’s returning workers scheme has been activated to support workers returning from affected areas and contingency planning is focusing on managing any imported case of Ebola and facilitating contact tracing. FCDO travel advice remains under review, and consular support is available where needed.

By acting now, alongside affected countries and international partners, we have the best chance of saving lives and limiting further spread across the region. The UK will continue to strongly support an effective health and humanitarian response.

[HCWS318]

Oral Answers to Questions

Kirsty McNeill Excerpts

Tuesday 1st September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

25. What steps his Department is taking with international partners to help tackle climate change.

[The Minister for International Development (Kirsty McNeill)]

Tackling the climate and nature crisis is an urgent priority for us all, as recent extreme wildfires and droughts have only served to reinforce. The UK is working with international partners to drive progress, whether through our forest partnerships with countries such as Brazil and Indonesia, or through our global clean power alliance to accelerate the worldwide transition to clean energy. The Foreign Secretary will act as the UK governor to the World Bank, taking personal leadership of the UK’s engagement on development and climate finance, and later this month he will also convene Foreign Ministers at the UN to address climate security challenges.

[Liz Twist]

My constituents in Blaydon and Consett have suffered through a summer of extreme heat, seeing trains cancelled, signal interruptions and wildfires. Climate change affects every single one of us—not only in the UK but globally, as we have heard today—so how is climate change resilience being embedded directly into our core diplomatic and security strategy?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I sympathise deeply with my hon. Friend’s constituents, who have been subject to such appalling disruption over the summer. We are very committed to strengthening international co-operation to anticipate, prevent and respond to climate-related risks of all sorts, including extreme weather. The French Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Secretary have recently reaffirmed their commitment to expand early warning initiatives, including through the climate risk and early warning systems programme, to strengthen protection for the most climate-vulnerable countries and populations, as well as for her constituents.

[Ms Minns]

The Minister will be aware that the world’s peatlands play a critical role in tackling climate change, storing twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests combined. Thanks to previous EU funding, work to restore the Bolton Fell Moss peatland in my constituency began in 2015. Can the Minister outline what international peatland restoration programmes the UK Government are currently engaged with, and will she press DEFRA colleagues to ensure that the UK continues to provide long-term funding to restore Cumbria’s upland bogs?

[Kirsty McNeill]

We are committed to peatland restoration, which is critical to tackling the climate and nature crisis and meeting our Environment Act targets, as my hon. Friend laid out. The UK supports international peatland conservation through programmes such as the Darwin Initiative. Darwin projects are, for example, helping communities in Peru and Indonesia to manage peatland ecosystems sustainably. Many tropical forests are also part of peatland ecosystems, and the UK has a long-standing portfolio of work supporting them. Of course, the Department continues to work closely with DEFRA to protect and restore important ecosystems.

[Vikki Slade (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (LD)]

After a horrendous summer of wildfires and the catastrophe in Nepal and Tibet, it is clear that if we are going to solve these problems, we need to act globally but think locally. It is really important that the public trust the information they receive on climate change. Will the FCDO work with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that the public are educated, and will it consider funding a national programme of public information, or perhaps screenings of the “People’s Emergency Briefing”, so that we can all understand more about the situation?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I could not agree with the hon. Lady more. It is very important that people trust the information they receive. She will have noticed the alert that was sent out across England, which was a sign of how seriously this Government take their commitment to communicate with the public responsibly.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank the Minister for her answer. There are 67 wars across the world—countries in conflict with other countries. What can she do to ensure that sworn enemies come together to tackle climate change, which is the real enemy of every country in this world?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I very much agree with the hon. Gentleman: climate change is a common enemy, and we have to face it across this House, across this country and across the world. We are committed to working with everybody who is taking climate action seriously.

[Richard Foord (Honiton and Sidmouth) (LD)]

10. What steps he is taking to improve UK-EU foreign and security co-operation.

--- Later in debate ---

[Gurinder Singh Josan (Smethwick) (Lab)]

T6. Will the Minister update the House about the steps that the Government are taking to tackle the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

[The Minister for International Development (Kirsty McNeill)]

We are working closely with international partners to support the African-led response. We acted early to allocate an initial £26.9 million to fund the immediate response in the DRC and Uganda and to support the World Health Organisation and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in co-ordinating the regional response. I am pleased to announce to the House a further £51.8 million, which takes our total funding to £78.7 million. We are also taking a leading role internationally. I met Dr Jean Kaseya, the head of Africa CDC, in Addis Ababa last week, and I will discuss this issue with ministerial counterparts ahead of the UN General Assembly later this month.

[James MacCleary (Lewes) (LD)]

T3. Last month, 12 protesters were arrested in Tbilisi just for displaying a banner criticising Georgian oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, who controls the Georgian Dream Government. The European Union and the United States have taken steps to sanction Mr Ivanishvili. When will the UK Government follow suit?

Draft Inter-American Investment Corporation (Further Payments to Capital Stock) (Amendment) Order 2026

Kirsty McNeill Excerpts

Tuesday 1st September 2026 General Committees

[The Minister for International Development (Kirsty McNeill)]

I beg to move,

That the Committee has considered the draft Inter-American Investment Corporation (Further Payments to Capital Stock) (Amendment) Order 2026.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison. The draft order was laid before the House on 16 June. It will permit the UK Government to make financial contributions to the Inter-American Investment Corporation, up to the stated values. Allow me briefly to take the Committee through the background and purpose of the draft order.

The draft order permits the UK Government to make further payments to the Inter-American Investment Corporation, also known as IDB Invest, which is the private sector arm of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, also known as the IDB. The IDB is the largest source of development finance for Latin America and the Caribbean, with the group’s overall financing reaching about $35 billion in 2025 alone. The IDB is a trusted UK partner and is instrumental to the achievement of regional objectives on sustainable development, action on climate change, biodiversity protection and pandemic and disaster preparedness.

The G20 has called on multilateral development banks to adopt new business models to stretch balance sheets, increase lending and take on more risk to support smaller businesses. In response, IDB Invest has committed to implementing a new business model. IDB Invest will shift to an originate-to-share approach to transfer its investments to the private sector, recycling funds and enabling greater impact through increased scale. IDB Invest’s innovative approach to development is why, together with other shareholders, the UK agreed to a $3.5 billion capitalisation package, to allow IDB Invest to more than double the support it provides the region from about $8 billion to more than $20 billion annually.

The UK is a strong proponent of this new model, and of the leadership and innovation showcased by IDB Invest. In 2025, the UK authorised an increase in its shareholding in the corporation from 0.22% to 1.5%, subject to shares being available, for a total value of up to $106 million. When the IDB Invest share subscription period closed in March 2026, more shares became available than initially anticipated. This presents the UK with a strategic opportunity to further increase our shareholding in IDB Invest beyond the level previously authorised. By investing an additional $25 million, the UK can deepen its influence with the institution and strengthen its overall position.

Let me highlight a few outcomes that IDB Invest has committed to delivering by 2030 through its new business model and capital increase. It will finance 2.5 million micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, which will in turn support 9.5 million jobs. It will directly support more than 300,000 women in gaining access to finance, jobs, training and entrepreneurship opportunities. It will support 1.6 million of the region’s poor and vulnerable people in gaining access to services, opportunities and resources. It will improve access to agricultural services and investments for 44,000 farmers. It will dedicate at least 60% of its investments to climate and green finance. It will reduce 3.9 million tonnes of CO2 emissions and generate 1,400 MW from renewable resources for new clean energy projects.

In addition, IDB Invest will continue to share lessons learned on the implementation of its business model with other development finance institutions to encourage more investment into the private sector globally. This represents excellent value for money. For every £1 that the UK invests, £5 of development-related assets are generated, taking us a step closer to achieving the region’s sustainable development goals.

IDB Invest is instrumental in achieving UK objectives in Latin America and the Caribbean, and it is among our closest and most important development partners. The financial contributions covered by this draft order will support the UK’s development and foreign policy objectives in Latin America and the Caribbean, promoting private sector development and sustainable economic growth.

I commend the draft order to the Committee.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kirsty McNeill]

I am grateful to the right hon. Lady for her comments and reflections. Starting with her question about financial years, the new capital paid in will be spread across seven years, starting in 2025-26. She also asked about the conditions attached to it, and I will reflect on those when I talk about the particular areas we have pressed for prioritisation. I should say, as I did in my opening, that this institution has already innovated in response to pressure and reflections from the G20. We were delighted to have had that influence at the outset.

We have pressed for a new focus on climate, on supporting Caribbean small island developing states, including the overseas territories, and on vulnerable populations. The right hon. Lady asked for any reflections on the development impacts that we anticipate. I reflected on those in my opening remarks, and I will not repeat them now. On increasing and securing the UK’s influence, we have secured greater board representation for the UK, which is always something we seek to do.

IDB Invest is a unique institution at the forefront of private sector investment in Latin America and the Caribbean. IDB Invest aims to dedicate 60% of its investments to climate and green finance, and it is also supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, empowering women, expanding access to essential services and driving innovation. Through its new originate-to-share business model, IDB Invest is scaling up its impact, mobilising capital at unprecedented levels and helping to deliver sustainable growth across the region. I hope and trust that the Committee will support this order.

Question put and agreed to.