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, how many staff were employed in overseas postings in the 2025-26 financial year; and how many staff are forecast to be employed in overseas postings in each of the next five financial years.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to becoming a smaller, more agile organisation, better able to deliver tangible benefits for the British people. Staff reductions are being made strategically, with decisions guided by an organisational prioritisation exercise. An Overseas Network Review is running in parallel to ensure our global footprint is best able to deliver UK objectives. The department will set out further details 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, if she will publish her plans for (a) staffing reductions and (b) the reorganisation of her Department.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to becoming a smaller, more agile organisation, better able to deliver tangible benefits for the British people. Staff reductions are being made strategically, with decisions guided by an organisational prioritisation exercise. An Overseas Network Review is running in parallel to ensure our global footprint is best able to deliver UK objectives. The department will set out further details 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, what recent discussions she has had with her Israeli ministerial counterparts on (a) (i) the ceasefire in and (ii) aid access to Gaza and (b) the establishment of the International Stabilisation Force.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is working tirelessly alongside our international partners to push forward all aspects of the 20-point peace plan endorsed by the United Nations Security Council on 17 November, including maintaining the ceasefire, increasing the flow of humanitarian aid, establishing an International Stabilisation Force, and removing Hamas from any role in the future governance of Gaza. We will continue to keep the House updated on the progress of this work over the coming weeks and months.
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, whether she had discussions with her Mauritian counterpart on the survey being conducted by the House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee on Chagossian views on the Agreement with Mauritius concerning the Chagos Archipelago.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government continues to engage with Mauritius on a range of issues related to implementation of the agreement between our countries, and I met the Mauritian Attorney General to that end on his last visit to London.
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 assessment has she made of the potential impact of the Chinese government funding training places for Mauritian officials on the (a) security of the British Indian Ocean Territory, (b) the future of Diego Garcia and (c) the future of UK interests in the Indo-Pacific.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Agreement between the UK and Mauritius secures the important UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. It contains robust provisions to ensure the security of the base and its continued effective operation, including a 24 nautical mile buffer zone around Diego Garcia and a ban on foreign security forces anywhere in the archipelago. The Agreement was tested at the highest levels of the United States' security establishment, across multiple agencies, and it has been backed by our key allies and international partners, including the US and all our Five Eyes partners.
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, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Pelindaba Treaty once sovereignty is transferred to Mauritius in accordance with the UK-Mauritius treaty on operations at Diego Garcia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer I gave her on 11 June in response to Question 57628.
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 information she receives (a) daily and (b) weekly from the Civil-Military Coordination Center in Israel on (i) aid access, (ii) ceasefire violations committed by Hamas and (iii) planning for the implementation of the 20-Point Peace Plan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is working tirelessly alongside our international partners to push forward all aspects of the 20-point peace plan endorsed by the United Nations Security Council on 17 November, including maintaining the ceasefire, increasing the flow of humanitarian aid, establishing an International Stabilisation Force, and removing Hamas from any role in the future governance of Gaza. We will continue to keep the House updated on the progress of this work over the coming weeks and months.
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 discussions she has had with her Israeli counterpart on the potential impact of Hamas' involvement in aid agencies and NGOs in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is working tirelessly alongside our international partners to push forward all aspects of the 20-point peace plan endorsed by the United Nations Security Council on 17 November, including maintaining the ceasefire, increasing the flow of humanitarian aid, establishing an International Stabilisation Force, and removing Hamas from any role in the future governance of Gaza. We will continue to keep the House updated on the progress of this work over the coming weeks and months.
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, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials met with the Mauritian Attorney General during his recent visit to London.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government continues to engage with Mauritius on a range of issues related to implementation of the agreement between our countries, and I met the Mauritian Attorney General to that end on his last visit to London.
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, whether she has discussed the (a) level and (b) quotas of fishing that the government of Mauritius expect to permit in the Chagos Archipelago marine environment.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 November to Question 90684.