Mark Francois

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has spent £0 on external legal advice that covers international law matters commissioned from 5th July 2024.

However, the AGO has spent £7,028.40 for external legal advice covering international law matters that was sought and received by the previous administration prior to 5th July 2024.

The Prime Minister visited Mauritius in a private capacity in November 2013. This was after stepping down as Director of Public Prosecutions.

Information about the process by which ministers declare interests, including details of the categories of interest declared, is available in the introduction to the List of Ministers’ Interests published on Gov.uk

Compared to the end of financial year 22/23, in the final quarter of 23/24 the Infrastructure and Project Authority's (IPA) Delivery Confidence Assessment (DCA) rating for E-7 Wedgetail decreased from Amber to Red. This was primarily due to affordability and equipment delivery schedule risks and issues. The programme was seeking a revision to its scheduled end date as challenges within the global supply chain, retention of an appropriately skilled workforce at the modification facility and an increase in certification complexity in the aviation sector had caused delays to the expected in service date.

DCAs are not a comprehensive reflection of project performance, but reflect a project’s likelihood of success at a specific snapshot in time if issues and risks are left unaddressed. The 23/24 IPA Annual Report reflects the situation in March 2024. A revised assessment will be provided in the next Annual Report, which will set out the situation as at the end of the current financial year.

Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly on GOV.UK.

Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk as part of the government’s transparency agenda.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade met representatives of the defence and financial services industries on 12 December 2024, to discuss how environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles are being applied to companies in defence and the impact they are having on investment and access to financial services. The discussion highlighted that there are multiple stakeholders and issues within the sectors and within government. The Department is now following up on that discussion across government and wider to find the best way to address them, to ensure that ESG policies do not have unintended consequences for the health of the defence sector.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade met representatives of the defence and financial services industries on 12 December 2024, to discuss how environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles are being applied to companies in defence and the impact they are having on investment and access to financial services. The discussion highlighted that there are multiple stakeholders and issues within the sectors and within government. The Department is now following up on that discussion across government and wider to find the best way to address them, to ensure that ESG policies do not have unintended consequences for the health of the defence sector.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade met representatives of the defence and financial services industries on 12 December 2024, to discuss how environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles are being applied to companies in defence and the impact they are having on investment and access to financial services. The discussion highlighted that there are multiple stakeholders and issues within the sectors and within government. The Department is now following up on that discussion across government and wider to find the best way to address them, to ensure that ESG policies do not have unintended consequences for the health of the defence sector.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade met representatives of the defence and financial services industries on 12 December 2024, to discuss how environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles are being applied to companies in defence and the impact they are having on investment and access to financial services. The discussion highlighted that there are multiple stakeholders and issues within the sectors and within government. The Department is now following up on that discussion across government and wider to find the best way to address them, to ensure that ESG policies do not have unintended consequences for the health of the defence sector.

Upholding national security remains the first duty of this government. The UK takes an active role in organisations including the International Telecommunication Union and the Third Generation Partnership Project, to shape standards to serve innovation while mitigating risks to the security of emerging technologies. We recognise that other states, including China, may seek to shape standards development in ways that differ to UK values. We need to co-operate with China where we can, while challenging where we must. To safeguard our democratic societies, we are taking steps with our allies to promote the international rules-based system that underpins our security.

Individual countries have the sovereign right to manage and use the radio spectrum, within their borders, the way they wish, subject to not causing interference with other countries.

This right is recognised in the Radio Regulations. The Radio Regulations are the international framework for the use of spectrum by radiocommunication services, defined and managed by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Individual countries, not the ITU, make their own sovereign spectrum assignments in accordance with the Radio Regulations. The ITU has no legal authority over these assignments regardless of the country’s civilian or military classification of spectrum.

The ITU cannot challenge the UK’s use of civilian or military spectrum. It is possible that one country could challenge another’s spectrum use, for instance if it should cause harmful interference across borders, and if unresolved bilaterally could seek arbitration through an ITU body (Radio Regulations Board).

Individual countries have the sovereign right to manage and use the radio spectrum, within their borders, the way they wish, subject to not causing interference with other countries.

This right is recognised in the Radio Regulations. The Radio Regulations are the international framework for the use of spectrum by radiocommunication services, defined and managed by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Individual countries, not the ITU, make their own sovereign spectrum assignments in accordance with the Radio Regulations. The ITU has no legal authority over these assignments regardless of the country’s civilian or military classification of spectrum.

The ITU cannot challenge the UK’s use of civilian or military spectrum. It is possible that one country could challenge another’s spectrum use, for instance if it should cause harmful interference across borders, and if unresolved bilaterally could seek arbitration through an ITU body (Radio Regulations Board).

Individual countries have the sovereign right to manage and use the radio spectrum, within their borders, the way they wish, subject to not causing interference with other countries.

This right is recognised in the Radio Regulations. The Radio Regulations are the international framework for the use of spectrum by radiocommunication services, defined and managed by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Individual countries, not the ITU, make their own sovereign spectrum assignments in accordance with the Radio Regulations. The ITU has no legal authority over these assignments regardless of the country’s civilian or military classification of spectrum.

The ITU cannot challenge the UK’s use of civilian or military spectrum. It is possible that one country could challenge another’s spectrum use, for instance if it should cause harmful interference across borders, and if unresolved bilaterally could seek arbitration through an ITU body (Radio Regulations Board).

Upholding national security remains the first duty of this government. The UK takes an active role in organisations including the International Telecommunication Union and the Third Generation Partnership Project, to shape standards to serve innovation while mitigating risks to the security of emerging technologies. We recognise that other states, including China, may seek to shape standards development in ways that differ to UK values. We need to co-operate with China where we can, while challenging where necessary. To safeguard our democratic societies, we are taking steps with our allies to promote the international rules-based system that underpins our security.

The trust was awarded £118.6 million as part of the National Health Service upgrades programme for the reconfiguration of hospital services across three acute sites, namely Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Southend Hospital in Southend, and Basildon Hospital in Basildon. Between 2019/20 and 2024/25, the trust has accessed funding totalling £16.3 million that has been spent so far. More funding may be provided for completed work before the end of the financial year.

The operational maximum is the maximum salary rate NHS England can appoint without seeking permission from the Department. Salaries above the operational maximum require as a minimum approval from the Department’s Renumeration Committee, and depending on the amount, may also require approval from ministers and HM Treasury. Any salary above £150,000 requires approval from the Department’s ministers.

The exception zone max is the highest figure that the Department has been delegated from HM Treasury, and appointing a salary above the exception zone requires HM Treasury’s approval. It is also important to note that there are different operational and exception zone maximums depending on the grade of the NHS Executive Senior Manager role being appointed.

The following table shows the number of budgeted full-time equivalent (FTE) staff, specifically the number of budgeted posts rather than the number of staff currently employed, and the pay budget for NHS England East of England, each year from 2021/22 to 2024/25:

Note: data for 2024/25 is as of the tenth month.

As part of the Oversight Framework, which is currently being refreshed, NHS England closely monitors the financial performance of providers and systems, intervening and providing support where there is concern about a risk of overspending against agreed plans. Organisations with the largest financial challenges will enter NHS England's Recovery Support Programme and receive assistance from the National Intensive Support Team to strengthen financial control. Full details of the NHS Oversight Framework, Recovery Support Programme and the guidance issued to all organisations are available on NHS England's website.

The merger of Basildon, Broomfield, and Southend Hospitals in 2020 set out to improve health outcomes for the local population and unlock the financial savings required to deliver a sustainable health economy across the mid and south Essex footprint.

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is working with the system on a medium-term plan that will review the merger benefits thus far and consider further improvements that need to be made to ensure the Trust and wider system are clinically, operationally and financially sustainable. Benefits realised since the merger include efficient and effective use of hospital beds and appointments, financial savings, and improved staff retention rates.

The Department is aware that the foundation trust entered the Recovery Support Programme in April 2024. The trust is subject to mandated support including national oversight and assurance of financial improvement.

The political agreement, reached between the UK and Mauritius in October 2024, will need to be underpinned by a Treaty which, once signed, will be made public and put before both Houses for scrutiny consistent with the obligations under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act. Following signature, the Government intends to bring forward a Bill to make the necessary amendments to current legislation to implement the Treaty.

It is the Government's view that without a negotiated solution on the sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), Mauritius would inevitably have pursued a campaign to obtain a legally binding judgment against the UK. We could expect a binding judgment that the UK was not sovereign over the British Indian Ocean Territory, to be applied by international organisations, including UN Specialised Agencies such as the International Telecommunication Union. This would have real-world impacts on the protection and security of the base including our ability to operate the electromagnetic spectrum undisturbed. Regarding impact on other Overseas Territories, BIOT is a unique case. No impact would be expected on other Overseas Territories as the situations are not comparable.

The Department has not engaged legal counsel from Matrix Chambers on the Chagos sovereignty question.

The position around the International Court of Justice compulsory jurisdiction remains as per the UK's deceleration of 22 February 2017.

It is not possible to provide a single figure for the amount the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has incurred in legal costs on the Chagos Islands since 5 July 2024. Legal costs would include the costs of FCDO lawyers, who are paid salaries and do not charge by workstream. However, the FCDO has incurred £28,367.35 in external legal costs in relation to matters concerning the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands since 5 July 2024, including in respect of defending relevant litigation. There may be additional costs for January that have not yet been invoiced. The FCDO has also incurred external legal costs in respect of migration issues on Diego Garcia. As the FCDO is still to receive a number of invoices for these costs, it is not possible to provide an accurate figure at this time.