Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
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.
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 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.
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 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 Given trade and commercial sensitivities, these plans will not be published.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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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, 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.
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, 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.
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, 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.
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 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.