Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent discussions the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs has had with representatives of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on the UK’s funding to UNRWA.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

Allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the events that took place on 7 October in Israel are appalling, which is why we took decisive action to pause future funding to the organisation.

The Prime Minister has been clear that the UK will set out its position on future funding to UNRWA following careful consideration of Catherine Colonna's final report, UNRWA's response and the ongoing UN Office for Internal Oversight Services investigation into these allegations.

We have regular discussions with international counterparts on all aspects of the conflict.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs has had discussions with other donors of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on the UK’s funding to that organisation.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

Allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the events that took place on 7 October in Israel are appalling, which is why we took decisive action to pause future funding to the organisation.

The Prime Minister has been clear that the UK will set out its position on future funding to UNRWA following careful consideration of Catherine Colonna's final report, UNRWA's response and the ongoing UN Office for Internal Oversight Services investigation into these allegations.

We have regular discussions with international counterparts on all aspects of the conflict.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what his Department’s overseas development aid spend on Myanmar (a) was in the financial year 2023-24 and (b) is predicted to be in the financial year 2024-25.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan

The UK provided more than £42 million in Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) in Myanmar in the financial year 2023/24. A finalised allocation will be published here: [https://www.gov.uk/guidance/statistics-on-international-development#upcoming-statistical-releases]. The UK's increased ODA allocation for Myanmar for the financial year 2024/2025 will be announced shortly. The UK's ODA in Myanmar includes life-saving humanitarian assistance, emergency healthcare and education support, and work to support civil society and local communities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many cases of Cryptosporidiosis have been recorded (a) by each NHS trust, (b) by each integrated care board and (c) in total in each of the last ten years.

Answered by Maria Caulfield

While this information is not held in the requested format, the following table shows the laboratory reported figures for cryptosporidiosis, and the reports of cryptosporidiosis per 100,000 people, in England and Wales, each year from 2008 to 2017:

Source: data is taken from Public Health England’s report, Cryptosporidium data 2008 to 2017, available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cryptosporidium-national-laboratory-data/cryptosporidium-data-2008-to-2017

Note: figures for England 2018 to 2023 are due to be published in Summer 2024.

In addition, the following table shows the regional distribution of the laboratory reports of cryptosporidium in England and Wales, in 2017:

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent steps his Department has taken to help protect freedom of religious belief for (a) Christians and (b) other religious minorities in China.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan

The UK Government continues to monitor the persecution of religious groups in China, including Christians. The freedom to practice, change or share one's faith or belief without discrimination is a human right that all people should enjoy.

The space for religious freedom in China continues to deteriorate, for Christians and other religious minorities. For example, recent new Measures on the Administration of Religious Activity Venues legislation includes widespread restrictions on religious practice such as requirements for priests to conduct sermons promoting core socialist values and Xi Jinping Thought.

The British government works with international organisations and networks to promote and protect freedom of religion or belief for all where it is threatened. This includes work through the UN, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Council of Europe, and the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what steps his Department has taken to help promote freedom of religious belief for (a) Christians and (b) other religious minorities in Iran.

Answered by David Rutley

The UK condemns the continued repression of Christians and other religious minorities in Iran. At the 55th Human Rights Council, we issued a statement highlighting the discrimination faced by Christians on a daily basis, whether in accessing education, jobs, or places of worship. We co-sponsored the Iran Human Rights Resolution at UNGA 78, calling for Iran to eliminate, in law and in practice, all forms of discrimination on the basis of religion or belief. We continue to promote the rights of religious minorities in Iran, including through the Special Envoy on FoRB Fiona Bruce MP.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many hours have been spent by his Department's staff on costing the policies of HM Opposition since 1 January 2024.

Answered by Gareth Davies

The Treasury does not record information relating to the allocation of staff time to specific tasks such as opposition costings. However, all work undertaken by HM Treasury staff (or officials from other departments) on opposition costings was completed in line with the guidance on ‘Costing the policies of Opposition parties’ set out in the Directory of Civil Service Guidance. Final versions of the costing documents produced by Civil Servants have also been published online at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/opposition-policy-costings-2024.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff in his Department have been involved with costing the policies of HM Opposition.

Answered by Gareth Davies

The Treasury does not routinely record information relating to the allocation of individual members of staff to specific tasks such as opposition costings. However, all work undertaken by HM Treasury officials (or officials from other departments) on opposition costings was completed in line with the guidance on ‘Costing the policies of Opposition parties’ set out in the Directory of Civil Service Guidance. Final versions of the costing documents produced by Civil Servants have been published online at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/opposition-policy-costings-2024.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the imprisonment of Toomaj Salehi.

Answered by David Rutley

The UK condemns the death sentence of prominent and fearless artist Toomaj Salehi. On May 8, the UK Human Rights Ambassador to the UN in Geneva signed a joint statement calling for Salehi's immediate release and repeating our principled opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances. We have sanctioned 94 Iranian individuals or entities for human rights violations since September 2022, including the Prosecutor General and Deputy Prosecutor General responsible for Iran's application of the death penalty. We continue to call for Mr Salehi's release, and the release of all those who are unjustly detained by the Iranian regime.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, when (a) he and (b) the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs last met representatives of UNRWA.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord Ahmad, met with the Commissioner General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, on 4 April and the Deputy Foreign Secretary spoke with the Commissioner General on 5 March.

They discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the steps UNRWA is taking in response to the Colonna report on UNRWA's mechanisms and processes to ensure neutrality. Ministers explained that the UK will set out its position on future funding to UNRWA following careful consideration of Catherine Colonna's final report, UNRWA's response and the ongoing UN Office for Internal Oversight Services investigation into these allegations.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what assessment he has made of the potential (a) implications for his policies of the recent insurgent attacks around (i) Macomia, (ii) Missufine and (iii) Cajerene in Mozambique and (b) impact of those attacks on the (A) displacement and (B) casualties of civilians.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK continues to pay close attention to developments in Mozambique, including the recent attacks, and is monitoring with partners the impact of these attacks on the civilian population and on the delivery of UK priorities. UK funding is supporting humanitarian assistance for those displaced from Macomia and across the north, alongside longer-term support. In May 2023, the Deputy Foreign Secretary met President Nyusi and discussed UK support for the Government of Mozambique's response to the insurgency, including new programmes on peacebuilding and resilience to violent extremism, increased humanitarian support and military capacity-building. MOD will begin a next round of training of Mozambique's Armed Forces in June, with over 200 members already trained in human rights.

Found: Preet Kaur Gill Oral Evidence

Found: Negatived on division _20 Preet Kaur Gill Rachael Maskell .