Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what are the potential implications for her policies of the ceasefire violations committed by Hamas.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to: (a) the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January, (b) the joint statement on humanitarian access issued by the Foreign Secretary and nine of her international counterparts on 30 December, (c) the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on these issues at oral questions on 2 December, (d) the statement that the Foreign Secretary made to the House on Gaza on 18 November, (e) my responses to her Urgent Question on 29 October, and (f) my responses to Questions 104985, 103247, 103245, 101358, 98592, and 906050, provided on 20 January, 12 January, 12 January, 6 January, 16 December, and 28 October respectively. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will publish the sources she receives information from on the volume of trucks providing aid to Gaza in accordance with the 20-point plan for peace in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to: (a) the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January, (b) the joint statement on humanitarian access issued by the Foreign Secretary and nine of her international counterparts on 30 December, (c) the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on these issues at oral questions on 2 December, (d) the statement that the Foreign Secretary made to the House on Gaza on 18 November, (e) my responses to her Urgent Question on 29 October, and (f) my responses to Questions 104985, 103247, 103245, 101358, 98592, and 906050, provided on 20 January, 12 January, 12 January, 6 January, 16 December, and 28 October respectively. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the speech entitled Foreign Secretary's speech to the British Chamber of Commerce, published on 20 March 2025, what (a) programme of domestic roadshows and (b) Lancaster House Business Engagement Series events (i) took place in 2025 and (ii) are planned for 2026.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has a critical role in delivering the Government's Growth Mission internationally. Heads of Mission in 41 markets are using Strategic Economic Growth Plans to identify opportunities for business and attract inward investment. In 2025, the FCDO hosted a UK-ASEAN Business Forum under the Lancaster House Business Engagement Series and delivered 23 Heads of Mission Roadshows across the UK, with further activity being developed for this year. We will provide further updates on the proposed Diplomatic Business Placement Programme in the normal way in due course.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the speech entitled Foreign Secretary's speech to the British Chamber of Commerce, published on 20 March 2025, how many diplomats (a) have been seconded to businesses in 2025 and (b) are expected to be seconded to businesses in 2026 under the Diplomatic Placement Programme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has a critical role in delivering the Government's Growth Mission internationally. Heads of Mission in 41 markets are using Strategic Economic Growth Plans to identify opportunities for business and attract inward investment. In 2025, the FCDO hosted a UK-ASEAN Business Forum under the Lancaster House Business Engagement Series and delivered 23 Heads of Mission Roadshows across the UK, with further activity being developed for this year. We will provide further updates on the proposed Diplomatic Business Placement Programme in the normal way in due course.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which heads of mission have developed Strategic Economic Growth Plans.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has a critical role in delivering the Government's Growth Mission internationally. Heads of Mission in 41 markets are using Strategic Economic Growth Plans to identify opportunities for business and attract inward investment. In 2025, the FCDO hosted a UK-ASEAN Business Forum under the Lancaster House Business Engagement Series and delivered 23 Heads of Mission Roadshows across the UK, with further activity being developed for this year. We will provide further updates on the proposed Diplomatic Business Placement Programme in the normal way in due course.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason he has reduced the cash grants from Government element of Core Spending Power to (a) Maldon District Council; and (b) Braintree District Council as part of Core Spending Power in the local government settlement published on 17 December 2025.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The provisional Settlement 2026–27 will make available almost £78 billion in Core Spending Power (CSP) for local authorities in England, a 5.7% cash-terms increase compared to 2025–26. By the end of the multi-year Settlement in 2028-29 Maldon will have a total of £11.3 million, and Braintree will have a total of £24.2 million in CSP.
The government has been clear that councils furthest above their new funding allocations which have benefitted the most from the existing system will need to accept some income losses, to ensure funding can be redirected to where it is assessed as being needed most. Recalculating available business rates alongside a new assessment of funding need will ensure that business rates income is reallocated to meet these changes in relative need - restoring the Business Rates Retention system to its intended purpose of providing a responsive funding stream for local government while rewarding authorities for business rate growth. This group of authorities will still receive protection of 95% of their income, including business rates growth.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of business premises in (a) Witham constituency, (b) Essex and (c) in England who have had their business rates liabilities increase by (A) up to 10%; (B) between 10% and 20%; (C) between 20% and 30%; (D) between 30% and 40%; (E) between 40% and 50%; (F) between 50% and 60%; (G) between 60% and 70%; (H) between 70% and 80%; (I) between 80% and 90%; (J) between 90% and 100%; (K) between 100% and 125%; (L) between 125% and 150%; (M) between 150% and 175%; (N) between 175% and 200%; (O) over 200%.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to UIN 101363.