Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2025 to Question 36638 on Mauritius: Trade Agreements, if he will publish the map of the (a) proposed buffer zone and (b) islands (i) in scope and (ii) not in scope of the comprehensive mechanism referenced.

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

The deal is rooted in a rational and resolute determination to protect UK security. Once signed, it will protect the base on Diego Garcia and cement UK and U.S. presence in the Indo-Pacific for generations to come.  Once an agreement is reached and the Treaty is signed, the Treaty will be put before both Houses for scrutiny under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaG) process in the usual way.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 36635 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty, whether he has received proposals from his Mauritian counterpart on a new Mauritian Marine Protected Area (MPA); whether the area for the proposed MPA will be different to the existing MPA; whether a map of the proposed MPA will be published; whether the proposed treaty with Mauritius will contain provisions to (a) ensure a continuity of protection for the existing area covered by the existing MPA once the proposed change in sovereignty takes place, (b) maintain the existing MPA and (c) require Mauritius to implement a new MPA; and if he will make an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of supporting Mauritius in implementing a new MPA.

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

As per previous PQ answers, the agreement will be supported by an enhanced partnership between the UK and Mauritius on conservation. That enhanced partnership will prioritise high conservation standards, with the UK supporting Mauritius' ambitions to establish a Marine Protected Area (MPA) that protects the globally significant ecosystems in the Chagos Archipelago. Further engagement on the details of the MPA will take place as part of the implementation of the Agreement post-signature.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date was the most recent draft of the proposed treaty with Mauritius on the British Indian Ocean Territory agreed between both the UK and Mauritian Governments.

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

As we and Mauritius have repeatedly said, including in joint statements on 20 December 2024 and on 13 January, both sides remain committed to concluding a deal on the future of the Chagos Archipelago which protects the long-term effective operation of the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia.  We continue to engage with Mauritius and are not going to provide a running commentary on the details.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK-Mauritius political agreement on the exercise of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, announced on 3 October 2024, whether Prime Minister Ramgoolam requested changes to the provisions on the exercising of sovereign rights and authorities over Diego Garcia for the duration of the lease after 3 October 2024.

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

As we and Mauritius have repeatedly said, including in joint statements on 20 December 2024 and on 13 January, both sides remain committed to concluding a deal on the future of the Chagos Archipelago which protects the long-term effective operation of the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia.  We continue to engage with Mauritius and are not going to provide a running commentary on the details.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, under the provisions of the most recent draft of the proposed treaty between the UK and Mauritius on the British Indian Ocean Territory on what date the proposed transfer of sovereignty will commence.

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

After signature, the Treaty will only come into force once both the UK and Mauritius have completed their own domestic procedures to enable ratification. For the UK, this will involve bringing forwards primary legislation as well as the usual Treaty scrutiny process in Parliament.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2025 to Question 36634 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty, on which date the Mauritius Marine Protected Area will be implemented.

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

The enhanced partnership will prioritise high conservation standards, with the UK supporting Mauritius' ambitions to establish a Marine Protected Area (MPA) that protects the globally significant ecosystems in the Chagos Archipelago. Further engagement on the details of the MPA will take place as part of the implementation of the Agreement post-signature.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, If she will assess the (a) economic and (b) road safety impact of delaying the (i) implementation and (ii) construction of the A12 widening scheme.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

It was announced in the Autumn Budget that Phase 2 of the Spending Review will conclude in late spring 2025. Until this time, it is not possible to assess the full impact of the extremely challenging financial inheritance this Government received on the A12 widening scheme and in turn its impact on (a) the economy and (b) road safety.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Marine Protected Area covering the British Indian Ocean Territory.

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

The BIOT Administration has responsibility for the management and monitoring of its Marine Protected Area. Annual reports have been undertaken by the Chief Scientific Advisor; reports up to the year 2020 are available online with subsequent years expected to be published in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of statements made by the Prime Minister of Mauritius on the Chagos Archipelago in the Mauritius National Assembly on 4 February 2025.

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

There has been a lot of speculation and incorrect reporting about the content of the deal, some of it related to inaccurate media stories following Prime Minister Ramgoolam's statements on 4 February. On 5 February the Mauritian government clarified these statements. As we have said, there has been no change to the overall cost of the deal or duration of the agreement. Both sides remain committed to concluding a deal on the future of the Chagos Archipelago which protects the long-term effective operation of the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia.  We continue to engage with Mauritius and are not going to provide a running commentary on the details.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether changes were made to the (a) lease extension arrangements and (b) arrangements covering the exercise of sovereign rights on Diego Garcia in the treaty with Mauritius after 13 November 2024.

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

Both sides remain committed to concluding a deal on the future of the Chagos Archipelago which protects the long-term effective operation of the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia.  We continue to engage with Mauritius and are not going to provide a running commentary on the details.   Once an agreement is reached and the Treaty is signed, the Treaty will be put before both Houses for scrutiny under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaG) process in the usual way.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential threat from China to UK national security; and when she plans to make a decision on the status of China in relation to the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

We continually assess potential threats to the UK and treat the protection of our national security with the upmost seriousness. Upholding national security and keeping the public safe is the first duty of Government.

We are taking a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK's relations with China. We will co-operate where we can; compete where we need to; and challenge where we must, including on issues of national security.

With regards to FIRS, I told the House in March, we intend to lay regulations before Parliament as soon as possible with a view to having the scheme up and running by the summer.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what Official Development Assistance funding he plans to provide to Syria in 2025.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As I announced at the Brussels Pledging Conference for Syria on 17 March, we have pledged up to £160 million of UK support to Syria's recovery and stability in 2025. This will provide life-saving assistance to millions of Syrians inside Syria and across the region, as well as agriculture, livelihoods and education programmes to help Syrians rebuild their lives and livelihoods.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his speech at the British Chamber of Commerce on 20 March 2025, what (a) the priority markets are that he has identified, (b) (i) targets and (ii) key performance indicators will be applied to ambassadors in priority markets, (c) additional diplomatic capacity will be provided to priority markets and (d) the forthcoming programme of domestic roadshows announced will be; on what dates the Lancaster House Business Engagement Series will be taking place in (i) 2025 and (ii) future years; and which businesses he intends to invite to the Lancaster House Business Engagement Series.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The FCDO's approach to driving growth is focusing on the EU, the US and China, and a range of other economically important markets, such as India and Japan. Our Heads of Mission have begun producing Strategic Economic Growth Plans, identifying top opportunities and key deliverables across the Industrial Strategy's growth-driving sectors. Given trade and commercial sensitivities, these plans will not be published. The programme of domestic roadshows, the Lancaster House Business Engagement Series, and the Diplomatic Placement Programme are currently under development. The FCDO is finalising a workforce strategy for the next Spending Review period. This will ensure that resource and capability prioritises the Government's Missions with a clearer focus on accountability and delivery.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his speech to the British Chamber of Commerce on 20 March 2025, with which firms he has discussed seconding diplomats to; and for how long a diplomat will be seconded to BAE Systems.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The FCDO's approach to driving growth is focusing on the EU, the US and China, and a range of other economically important markets, such as India and Japan. Our Heads of Mission have begun producing Strategic Economic Growth Plans, identifying top opportunities and key deliverables across the Industrial Strategy's growth-driving sectors. Given trade and commercial sensitivities, these plans will not be published. The programme of domestic roadshows, the Lancaster House Business Engagement Series, and the Diplomatic Placement Programme are currently under development. The FCDO is finalising a workforce strategy for the next Spending Review period. This will ensure that resource and capability prioritises the Government's Missions with a clearer focus on accountability and delivery.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his speech to the British Chamber of Commerce on 20 March 2025, if he will make an estimate of the potential impact of each of the policies announced in that speech on economic growth.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The FCDO's approach to driving growth is focusing on the EU, the US and China, and a range of other economically important markets, such as India and Japan. Our Heads of Mission have begun producing Strategic Economic Growth Plans, identifying top opportunities and key deliverables across the Industrial Strategy's growth-driving sectors. Given trade and commercial sensitivities, these plans will not be published. The programme of domestic roadshows, the Lancaster House Business Engagement Series, and the Diplomatic Placement Programme are currently under development. The FCDO is finalising a workforce strategy for the next Spending Review period. This will ensure that resource and capability prioritises the Government's Missions with a clearer focus on accountability and delivery.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his speech at the British Chamber of Commerce on 20 March 2025, by what date he expects ambassadors to have produced Strategic Economic Growth Plans; and whether those plans will be published.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The FCDO's approach to driving growth is focusing on the EU, the US and China, and a range of other economically important markets, such as India and Japan. Our Heads of Mission have begun producing Strategic Economic Growth Plans, identifying top opportunities and key deliverables across the Industrial Strategy's growth-driving sectors. Given trade and commercial sensitivities, these plans will not be published. The programme of domestic roadshows, the Lancaster House Business Engagement Series, and the Diplomatic Placement Programme are currently under development. The FCDO is finalising a workforce strategy for the next Spending Review period. This will ensure that resource and capability prioritises the Government's Missions with a clearer focus on accountability and delivery.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the agreement with Mauritius on the British Indian Ocean Territory will contain dispute and arbitration mechanisms.

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

Once an agreement is reached and the Treaty is signed, the Treaty will be put before both Houses for scrutiny under the CRaG process in the usual way.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of trends in the level of threats to (a) freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and (b) British (i) vessels and (ii) personnel in 2025.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The majority of international shipping ceased operating through the Red Sea after Houthi attacks began in November 2023 and has not returned. My Department continues to provide advice to UK-flagged shipping in the region, and this is kept under regular review.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Statement HCWS451 of 13 February 2025 on Syria Sanctions, if he will list the Syria Regulations he is planning to change; and what conditions he plans to apply to the Government of Syria in relation to the relaxation of sanctions.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As my statement to the House on 10 March made clear, the interim Syrian authorities must ensure the protection of all Syrians and to make progress towards an inclusive political transition. We will judge them by their actions, not their words.

On 6 March, the Government lifted asset freezes on 24 Syrian entities that were previously used by the Assad regime to fund the oppression of the Syrian people, including the Central Bank of Syria. This follows the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation publishing on 12 February a General Licence, allowing payments that support humanitarian assistance in Syria. Sanctions remain in place against the Assad family, their associates, and those complicit in committing atrocities.

We keep our sanctions under close review. Where there are changes to the Syria Regulations, Members of Parliament will have the opportunity to debate in line with the made affirmative procedure for sanctions Statutory Instruments.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he made representations to the Chinese Government on (a) the bounties placed by the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities on Hong Kongers living in the UK (b) concerns over human rights, (c) the effect of Hong Kong’s National Security Law and (d) the detention of Jimmy Lai during his recent visit to China.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

This Government continues to stand firm on the issue of human rights in China, including relating to Hong Kong and Jimmy Lai. The recent visit by the Secretary of State gave the opportunity to discuss issues that matter to the UK with senior levels of the Chinese government, including areas where we disagree.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2025 to Question 34245 on Transport: Infrastructure, if she will publish Capital Review Panel's (a) terms of reference, (b) the dates it has met and (c) its budget; whether members of the Panel receive (i) remuneration, (ii) expenses and (iii) other financial recompense; and if the Panel has considered the (A) A12 widening scheme; and (B) the A120 dualling scheme proposals.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Capital Review is an internal review, therefore the Panel’s terms of reference and proceedings are internal to the Department. Panel members are providing their time voluntarily and have not received any expenses or other financial recompense. The Panel has no allocated budget and the only costs incurred are through a small official secretariat.

The Capital Review’s primary aim is to provide the Secretary of State with strategic advice, not to provide advice on individual schemes.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2025 to Question 36631 on Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, what the nature was of discussions with his counterparts in China on the foreign influence registration scheme.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary met his counterpart Wang Yi in China in October 2024. The conversations covered the full range of bilateral issues. We engage frankly on the difficult issues, as part of our consistent and regular engagement with China. National Security is the first duty of government, and we will always act to protect it.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what criteria he will use to assess whether to provide UNRWA with funding in 2025.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We cannot yet confirm funding allocations for financial year 2025-26, but continue to assess all overseas development assistance robustly against government priorities. The UK has provided £41 million this financial year for United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). This supports delivery of UNRWA's vital work, ensuring that Palestinians have access to humanitarian assistance, education and healthcare in Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the region.