Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Reform UK - Newark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department is defending a civil claim for damages brought by Abu Faraj al-Libi; and what estimate she has made of the potential liability to the public purse in relation to a claimant identified as the "main planner" of the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot targeting flights from the UK.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the Rt Hon Member knows, it has been the UK's longstanding position under successive governments, including the one he supported for over a decade, not to comment on intelligence related litigation.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Reform UK - Newark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the total value is of the settlement agreed with Abu Zubaydah; and if she will provide a breakdown of (a) damages paid to the claimant and (b) legal costs paid to the claimant's representatives.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the Rt Hon Member knows, it has been the UK's longstanding position under successive governments, including the one he supported for over a decade, not to comment on intelligence related litigation.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Reform UK - Newark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will publish a list of all current legal proceedings, including civil claims and complaints to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, brought against her Department by current detainees at Guantanamo Bay; and what is the total estimated value of these claims including legal costs.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the Rt Hon Member knows, it has been the UK's longstanding position under successive governments, including the one he supported for over a decade, not to comment on intelligence related litigation.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Reform UK - Newark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any settlement discussions have been initiated with representatives of Abu Faraj al-Libi, Mustafa al-Hawsawi, or Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the Rt Hon Member knows, it has been the UK's longstanding position under successive governments, including the one he supported for over a decade, not to comment on intelligence related litigation.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Reform UK - Newark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what meetings ministers have had with their counterparts in (a) Albania, (b) Poland, (c) Romania, (d) Jamaica, (e) Lithuania, (f) Bulgaria and (g) Vietnam on the removal of foreign national offenders since 17 July 2024.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Removing foreign national offenders to their countries of origin is a priority for this Government. We engage frequently with our international partners on the return of those with no right to be in the UK, both at ministerial and official level. In May, the Prime Minister announced an enhanced strategic partnership with Albania including cooperation on migration and justice issues. The Foreign Secretary discussed prisoner transfer and wider criminal justice cooperation with Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski on 19 December 2024. In Romania, Bulgaria, and Lithuania we have strong cooperation across law and justice issues. For example, our Ambassador to Bulgaria discussed Foreign National Offenders with Bulgarian Interior Minister Mitov in June this year. The Foreign Secretary discussed migration cooperation with the Vietnamese Foreign Minister on 11 July 2025.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Reform UK - Newark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what meetings (a) he and (b) his Ministers have had with the (i) Albanian, (ii) Polish, (iii) Romanian, (iv) Irish and (v) Jamaican Government to discuss increasing the number of foreign national offenders returned from UK prisons in the last six months.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Increasing the numbers of foreign national offender returns from our prisons is a priority for this government. We are working with international partners to achieve this.
In the last six months, the Foreign Secretary discussed criminal justice cooperation with Poland when he met Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski in December 2024 and with Albania when he met Albanian Foreign Minister Igli Hasani on 19 March.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Reform UK - Newark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2025 to Question 28962, whether his Department has conducted a value for money assessment of the proposed agreement with Mauritius on the Chagos Islands.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 3 October 2024, the UK and Mauritius reached a political agreement to secure the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, which is an essential part of our global defence network.
HMT has been working with the FCDO and the MOD on the agreement who, as the lead departments, are responsible for assessing its value for money under the Managing Public Money framework.
Protecting the British people is this government's number one priority. We will not scrimp on security.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Reform UK - Newark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of Iran’s non-compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Answered by Amanda Milling
Iran's nuclear programme is more advanced than ever, and is continuing to worsen. This includes producing Highly Enriched Uranium which is unprecedented for a state without a nuclear weapons programme. Iran's nuclear escalation is threatening international security and undermining the global non-proliferation system.
We have reached the end of talks in Vienna to restore the nuclear deal. There is a viable deal on the table which would return Iran to compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments, and return the US to the deal. If Iran fails to conclude the deal its nuclear escalation will collapse the JCPoA. In this scenario we would carefully consider all options in partnership with our allies.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Reform UK - Newark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for international peace and security of Iran achieving nuclear breakout.
Answered by Amanda Milling
Iran's nuclear programme is more advanced than ever, and is continuing to worsen. This includes producing Highly Enriched Uranium which is unprecedented for a state without a nuclear weapons programme. Iran's nuclear escalation is threatening international security and undermining the global non-proliferation system.
We have reached the end of talks in Vienna to restore the nuclear deal. There is a viable deal on the table which would return Iran to compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments, and return the US to the deal. If Iran fails to conclude the deal its nuclear escalation will collapse the JCPoA. In this scenario we would carefully consider all options in partnership with our allies.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Reform UK - Newark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure the security of (a) Israel, (b) the United Arab Emirates, (c) Saudi Arabia and (d) Bahrain if Iran achieves nuclear weapons capability.
Answered by Amanda Milling
We continue to have regular discussions with a range of regional and international partners, including Israel, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and Iran's nuclear escalation. We are clear that our priority is to see Iran return to compliance with its commitments and the US to return to the deal. Our commitment to the security of our allies is unwavering. The UK is committed to working with the international community to ensure Iran abides by international laws and norms and is held to account for its destabilising activity in the region.
It is for this reason that we currently have over 200 sanctions designations in place against Iran, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in its entirety, and support the enforcement of UN prohibitions on the proliferation of weapons to non-state actors in the region, including to Lebanese Hizballah (UNSCR 1701) and the Houthis in Yemen (UNSCR 2216).