Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of British citizens killed during the terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas on 7 October 2023.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is aware of 15 British nationals who were killed on 7 October, during Hamas' attack on Israel. This is based on information provided to us by the Israeli authorities and affected bereaved families.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the 101 Israeli hostages being held in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since day one, we have been working alongside our allies and partners in the region in support of ongoing negotiations. The UK welcomes the tireless efforts of our partners in Qatar, Egypt and the United States. We need the hostages returned immediately and unconditionally. We must see greater protection of civilians, a rapid increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza, and to enable the UN and humanitarian agencies to be able to operate safely in Gaza. During his most recent visit to the region on 9 October, the Foreign Secretary reiterated the need for an immediate ceasefire to ensure their safe release.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on strengthening global food security.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Delivering development through partnerships is core to the government's mission to help create a world free from poverty on a liveable planet.
At the G20 Development Ministers Meeting, I endorsed the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty to promote partnerships and long-term solutions to tackling hunger and poverty and unlock much-needed finance. At the Hamburg Sustainability Conference, I engaged in discussions on financing development and reforming the global financial system for greater progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. This is alongside regular engagement with key international partners on food, agriculture and finance through the UK's bilateral and multilateral work.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's data on Ministerial travel, January to March 2023, last updated on 13 July 2023, how much was spent on (a) flights and (b) accommodation for the visit by the then Minister of State for Overseas Territories, Commonwealth, Energy, Climate, and Environment to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos from 18 to 19 January 2023.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
The total cost of flights for the visit was £576.35. The FCDO did not incur any accommodation costs for the visit.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department (a) has completed its monitoring of the School Meals Coalition and (b) plans to publish the findings of that monitoring; and for what reason the Government has not joined the School Meals Coalition.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK Government warmly welcomed the Secretary General's convening of the UN Food Systems Summit last year. The Minister of State for Pacific and the Environment delivered a UK national statement at the September Summit and led the UK's pre-Summit Delegation in July 21, using both opportunities to highlight the UK's leadership commitments on famine prevention and nature as well as our COP26 ambition on sustainable agriculture. The UK Government continues to engage with several coalitions emerging from the UN Food Systems Summit, and has been monitoring them.
FCDO's assessment of evidence from the international development community, is that supporting women and children from when they are conceived up to their second birthday is the most effective way to avert malnutrition and its long-term consequences globally. In the current context of worsening global food security - a situation exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine - the FCDO has committed to direct £3 billion to prevent famine and alleviate suffering through humanitarian aid, targeted at countries most affected.
We do not currently intend to join the School Meals Coalition or publish details of our engagement with this group. While the UK Government supports school meals in the UK, membership could send a message that was inconsistent with best practice in addressing global hunger and malnutrition.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
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 merits of the UK becoming a signatory member of the School Meals Coalition established at the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK Government warmly welcomed the Secretary General's announcement of the UN Food Systems Summit. The Minister of State for Pacific and the Environment personally delivered a UK national statement at the September Summit and led the UK's pre-Summit delegation in July. The Minister of State for Pacific and the Environment used both opportunities to highlight the UK's leadership commitments on famine prevention and nature as well as our COP26 ambition on sustainable agriculture.
The FCDO is monitoring several UN Food Systems Summit coalitions, including the School Meals Coalition, to understand their ambitions as well as the expectations of Member States who express support. While HMG supports school meals in the UK, the coalitions are international as well as domestic in scope and UK membership of the School Meals Coalition would have implications for our international development strategy. FCDO's assessment, based on evidence, is that supporting women and children from when they are conceived up to their second birthday is the most effective way to avert malnutrition and its long-term consequences.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to question 18532 answered on 3 March 2020, what discussions officials of his Department have had with (a) representatives of the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and (b) the Head of the Pensions Department in the Kenyan National Treasury on the non-payment of pensions to former Kenyan civil servants.
Answered by James Duddridge
This matter is the responsibility of the Kenyan authorities. FCDO officials spoke to the Kenyan High Commission in London last month for an update on the non-payment of pensions to former Kenyan civil servants. I can confirm that the Kenyan Treasury Pensions Department was in touch with Crown Agents Bank in the UK at the beginning of October to request additional information in order to take this matter forward. We will stay in touch with both parties (the Kenyan Treasury Pensions Department and Crown Agents Bank), and continue to encourage them to resume pension payments as soon as possible.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions officials of his Department have had with (a) representatives of the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and (b) the Head of the Pensions Department in the Kenyan National Treasury on the non-payment of pensions to former Kenyan civil servants.
Answered by James Duddridge
This matter is the responsibility of the Kenyan authorities. However, the British High Commission in Nairobi has written to the Kenyan Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and the Head of the Department for Pensions in the Kenyan National Treasury seeking an explanation for non-payment of pensions to former Kenyan civil servants and the lack of increase in line with inflation. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office is now helping the Kenyan National Treasury to contact Crown Agents Bank (the bank chosen to make the pension payments) in the UK to expedite the reinstatement of the pensions.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on continued foreign policy co-operation after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Boris Johnson
I regularly discuss future and existing foreign policy cooperation with my EU counterparts, including at the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday 19 March.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many and what proportion of (a) his Department's staff and (b) staff working for companies contracted by his Department who are paid less than the Living Wage are (i) white British and (ii) from an ethnic minority background.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
No member of staff directly employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth office in the UK or on a diplomatic posting overseas is paid less than the Living Wage. Staff employed locally at our missions overseas are done so in full compliance with local employment law. We are aware that there are currently 96 contracted staff who are working for the FCO Facilities Management (FM) provider whose hourly rate is less than the levels recommended by the Living Wage campaign. We do not hold any information on the proportion of staff this represents for our FM provider nor do we hold any information on the ethnic or gender background of those contracted staff. We do not hold information on the earnings of any other contracted staff.