Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the British Council (a) funding model and (b) loan repayment terms on the effectiveness of the British Council at promoting and supporting UK soft power.

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

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has provided the British Council with £162.5 million Grant-in-Aid in 2024/25. The British Council's Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for the British Council's financial sustainability. The Government is committed to working with the British Council to ensure its financial sustainability. The FCDO is exploring all options with the British Council and HM Treasury to ensure this.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help the British Council become financially self-sufficient.

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

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has provided the British Council with £162.5 million Grant-in-Aid in 2024/25. The British Council's Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for the British Council's financial sustainability. The Government is committed to working with the British Council to ensure its financial sustainability. The FCDO is exploring all options with the British Council and HM Treasury to ensure this.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024, what her Department’s timescales are for implementing the provisions relating to paragraphs (a) 148 and (b) 155 on grey belt land development.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The policies in paragraphs 148 and 155 of the revised National Planning Policy Framework came into effect on the day of publication, 12 December 2024.

Transitional arrangements in relation to the implementation of these policies are set out in Annex 1.

Further guidance to help local authorities review their Green Belt and identify grey belt land, will be published in the coming weeks.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on restructuring the repayment terms for British Council loans owed to the Government.

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

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is working closely with the British Council and HM Treasury on this issue.

The loan was made on commercial terms to ensure compliance with the UK subsidy control regime. The Government remains committed to recovering the loan when the British Council's finances allow.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 22284 on Development Aid: Nutrition, if he will provide a timeline for (a) reviewing and (b) finalising his Department’s approach to N4G 2025.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK continues to look forward to the 2025 Nutrition for Growth summit. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials continue to work closely with French counterparts to build momentum in the lead up to the summit and will announce plans for events in Paris in due course in collaboration with French organisers. The UK continues to champion the integration of improved nutrition outcomes alongside successes in other sectors including health, agriculture, humanitarian, and climate, and intends to make commitments in March.

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 the Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief on his (a) priorities and (b) plans to engage with international counterparts.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

David Smith MP was announced as UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in December 2024. The Envoy works closely with Lord Collins, the Minister responsible for Human Rights, and with other Ministers in the FCDO and, where relevant, other government departments to promote the government's shared priorities on FoRB for all with a range of UK and international partners individually and collectively through the Article 18 Alliance.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to implement the 2030 Strategic framework for international climate and nature action.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

This Government is already delivering on many of the aims of the previous 2030 Strategic Framework, while stepping up our ambition. I was proud to join UK Ministers showing leadership at COP29, where the Prime Minister announced our ambitious 2035 emissions reduction target, and the Foreign Secretary reaffirmed our climate commitment including our £11.6 billion climate finance goal. At home, we have already removed the de facto ban on new onshore wind in England, secured a record-breaking number of new renewable electricity projects, and have set out legislation to establish Great British Energy.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions the Minister for International Development has had with Baroness Shafik on evidence submitted to her review of international development.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I have been in communication with Baroness Shafik throughout the review, including discussing review findings.

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 merits of protecting global water supplies in humanitarian and development settings.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The world is facing a growing water crisis exacerbated and accelerated by climate change. Decades of collective mismanagement and undervaluation of water have damaged our ecosystems and contaminated our water resources. We can no longer rely on having enough freshwater for our collective future. Restoring stability of the water cycle is critical to deliver an equitable and sustainable future for all. We will fail to address the climate and nature crises and deliver all the Sustainable Development Goals if we fail on water.

This will undoubtedly impact the poorest and most vulnerable the hardest. We are working to build resilience for the most vulnerable to cope with crises, including water insecurity and food insecurity. We are committed to increasing the quality and quantity of international climate finance to fragile and conflict affected states, which have traditionally struggled to attract investment. The UK is playing a critical role driving systems transformation to protect freshwater ecosystems and global water supplies.

Through our Just Transitions for Water Security programme, we are working with climate vulnerable countries to influence policy, strengthen governance and accountability mechanisms, and shift markets to leverage critically needed investments in water. Similarly, the UK is working with our international partners to ensure climate-resilient and sustainable Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) - which is essential for poverty reduction, achieving global health goals, and for empowering of women and girls. For example, the UK is working through Sanitation and Water for All's Heads of State Initiative to accelerate access to water security and WASH by engaging political leadership at the highest level.

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 International Women and Girls Strategy 2023-2030, published in March 2023, what steps his Department has taken to implement the three Es within the strategy.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The FCDO is committed to putting women and girls at the heart of everything we do. We will continue to support women and girls to access quality education, tackle gender-based violence, and empower women and girls globally and stand up for their health and rights. Last November, I announced a new £27 million programme to tackle technology-facilitated gender-based violence. We have doubled our aid for Sudan, including £14 million for education programmes in Sudan and for Sudanese refugees, the majority of whom are women and children. In December, the Prime Minister pledged £37 million to strengthen grassroots and civil society organisations and expand access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the (a) Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) Chief Secretary to the Treasury on the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Preventing conflict and empowering women and girls is critical to the delivery of the government's missions, and this Government remains committed to delivering the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI). The FCDO works closely with HM Treasury to ensure that spend is directed towards our priorities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the (a) financial and (b) social impact of hospices on the (i) health and (ii) social care sectors.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life, and their loved ones.

Palliative and end of life care are broad, holistic approaches, provided through a range of professionals and providers, and generalists and specialists across the NHS, social care, and voluntary sector organisations, including hospices. Therefore, the financial and social impacts of hospices on the broader health and care sectors are difficult to measure because the relevant consultations and tasks are not always coded as palliative or end of life care.

We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices, to ensure they have the best physical environment for care, and £26 million of revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices. We will set out the details of the funding allocation and dissemination in the coming weeks.

I am meeting with the major hospice and palliative and end of life care stakeholders early in February 2025 to discuss potential solutions on longer-term sector sustainability.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department made of the safety of travel to Trinidad and Tobago before issuing recent travel advice.

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

A factual update to FCDO Travel Advice for Trinidad & Tobago was made on 31 December 2024 and 14 January 2025 as a result of assessments made in the wake of the declaration of and extension of a state of emergency in response to gang-related violence. The safety of British nationals in each country and territory is our overriding concern when determining our travel advice. The FCDO keeps travel advice under regular review.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 26 July 2024 to Question 824 on Development Aid, when she plans to set out her approach on restoring official development assistance spending to 0.7 per cent of gross national income.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the government remains committed to restoring ODA spending to the level of 0.7% of GNI as soon as the fiscal circumstances allow. The OBR’s latest forecast shows that the ODA fiscal tests, which determine when a return to 0.7% of GNI is possible, are not due to be met within this Parliament. The government will continue to monitor future forecasts closely, and each year will review and confirm, in accordance with the International Development Act (ODA Target) Act 2015, whether a return to spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA is possible against the latest fiscal forecast.

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 the security of energy supplies in (a) Moldova and (b) Transnistria.

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

The UK is monitoring the situation in Moldova closely. In this financial year, the UK has provided £25.5 million worth of financial support, including a £5 million uplift in humanitarian assistance announced by the Foreign Secretary during his visit to Moldova in November 2024. I saw first-hand during my visit to Moldova in September 2024 how this support is helping Moldova to defend its democracy against Russian hybrid aggression and bolster its energy security. We are considering further measures to bolster our support to Moldova to reduce its dependency on Russian gas and mitigate deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Transnistria.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans he has to discuss the proposed treaty with Mauritius in respect of the British Indian Ocean Territory with (a) the new US administration and (b) the Secretary of State for Defence.

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

We have been clear that this deal protects UK and US national security interests by ensuring the long-term effective operations of the base. However, given the importance of the base to the US, it is right that the new US Administration has the chance to consider the full agreement properly. We look forward to discussing the deal with them, which will include, of course, sharing the full detail of what has been agreed, including the detailed protections we have secured for the base for the next 99 years and beyond. We have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence on this and other matters and will continue to do so.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of pending pension credit applications as of 21 December 2024.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Outstanding Pension Credit claims totalled 92,400 at the end of week commencing 23rd December 2024. This includes 8,500 advanced claims. Advanced claims are where the application can be started up to 4 months before reaching State Pension age.

The most recent available information shows 74,000 claims outstanding at the end of week commencing 13 January 2025. This includes 8,700 advanced claims.

Please note, the data shown is unpublished management information, collected and intended for internal departmental use and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of British nationals resident in areas of California affected by wildfires.

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

Firstly, I extend my sincere condolences to all those affected by the wildfires. We encourage British nationals in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas to follow the guidance of the local authorities for the latest advice and continue to check FCDO travel advice for information. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) does not hold information on the numbers of British Nationals affected by the wildfires as the UK Government does not require British nationals to register with the nearest British Embassy or High Commission when overseas. The FCDO stands ready to provide consular support to British nationals abroad 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the National Planning Policy Framework, published in December 2024, how grey belt is defined for the purposes of (a) plan-making and (b) decision-making.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The definition of grey belt, for the purposes of plan-making and decision-making, is provided in the glossary of the revised National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024.

The Framework also makes clear that before concluding that exceptional circumstances exist to justify changes to Green Belt boundaries, the relevant authority should be able to demonstrate that it has examined fully all other reasonable options for meeting its identified need for development.

Where it is necessary to release Green Belt land for development, plans should give priority to previously developed land, then consider grey belt land that has not been previously developed, and then other Green Belt locations. Guidance to assist authorities in assessing their Green Belt and identifying grey belt will be published in the coming weeks.

The amount of development that occurs in any given Green Belt will depend on local circumstances and it is for local planning authorities to assess whether Green Belt land should be released. However, the Framework makes clear that, where grey belt land is identified, it should be brought forward for development only where this is sustainable. New ‘golden rules’ will be applied to ensure that development benefits communities and nature.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the use of grey belt land on the Green Belt.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The definition of grey belt, for the purposes of plan-making and decision-making, is provided in the glossary of the revised National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024.

The Framework also makes clear that before concluding that exceptional circumstances exist to justify changes to Green Belt boundaries, the relevant authority should be able to demonstrate that it has examined fully all other reasonable options for meeting its identified need for development.

Where it is necessary to release Green Belt land for development, plans should give priority to previously developed land, then consider grey belt land that has not been previously developed, and then other Green Belt locations. Guidance to assist authorities in assessing their Green Belt and identifying grey belt will be published in the coming weeks.

The amount of development that occurs in any given Green Belt will depend on local circumstances and it is for local planning authorities to assess whether Green Belt land should be released. However, the Framework makes clear that, where grey belt land is identified, it should be brought forward for development only where this is sustainable. New ‘golden rules’ will be applied to ensure that development benefits communities and nature.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what criteria local authorities are expected to apply when identifying land categorised as grey belt.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The definition of grey belt, for the purposes of plan-making and decision-making, is provided in the glossary of the revised National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024.

The Framework also makes clear that before concluding that exceptional circumstances exist to justify changes to Green Belt boundaries, the relevant authority should be able to demonstrate that it has examined fully all other reasonable options for meeting its identified need for development.

Where it is necessary to release Green Belt land for development, plans should give priority to previously developed land, then consider grey belt land that has not been previously developed, and then other Green Belt locations. Guidance to assist authorities in assessing their Green Belt and identifying grey belt will be published in the coming weeks.

The amount of development that occurs in any given Green Belt will depend on local circumstances and it is for local planning authorities to assess whether Green Belt land should be released. However, the Framework makes clear that, where grey belt land is identified, it should be brought forward for development only where this is sustainable. New ‘golden rules’ will be applied to ensure that development benefits communities and nature.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraph 2.40 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the increase in Employer National Insurance contributions on West Midlands Police (a) staffing revenue budgets, (b) staffing levels and (c) non-staffing revenue budgets.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

As set out at the final police funding settlement on 30 January, overall funding for policing will total up to £19.6 billion in 2025-26, an increase of up to £1.1 billion when compared to the 2024-25 settlement.

Total funding to police forces will be up to £17.5 billion, an increase of up to £1.1 billion compared to the 2024/25 police funding settlement. This equates to a 6.6% cash increase, and 4.1% real terms increase in funding.

The 2025-26 provisional police funding settlement provides an additional £230.3 million to support territorial police forces with the increase to the changes to employer National Insurance Contributions as set out by the Chancellor in the Autumn Budget.

Based on the provisional police funding settlement, in 2025-26, West Midlands will receive funding of up to £ 844.5 million, an increase of £54.1 million compared to 2024-5. This includes £11.6 million towards covering the costs of the employer National Insurance Contributions increase.

Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are the locally elected and democratically accountable official for policing in their area, and it is up to PCCs to decide how to balance their expenditure on their policing and crime priorities based on their local knowledge and experience.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she had with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Domestic Affairs on the China audit before 10 January 2025.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The UK Government is carrying out an audit to examine the UK's interests with respect to China to improve our ability to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities China poses. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has discussed various topics including the China audit with the Secretary of State of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.

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 evaluate the commitment of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham regime to (a) inclusive governance and (b) human rights.

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

The UK fully supports a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process leading to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government. As a next step, we hope to see representative figures from across Syria appointed to the transitional government and the recently announced Legislative Council and Preparatory Committee. We hope there will be a clear process and timeline for this next phase of the transition, which respects the rights of all Syrians.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 21997 on Syria: Armed Conflict, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that aid will reach women and girls.

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

Support to women and girls is at the heart of the UK's policy and programmes in Syria. In the financial year of 2023/24, 53 percent of UK humanitarian programming in Syria has helped provide health, sexual and reproductive health services, education and vocational training to over 690,000 women and girls. UK support delivered through trusted aid organisations on the ground, including United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) and non-governmental organisations - targets those most vulnerable in a crisis, including women and girls, the elderly, and people with disabilities. We continue to call for unhindered access for and facilitation of humanitarian operations across the whole of Syria.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what funds have been allocated by his Department to support initiatives outlined in the International Women and Girls Strategy 2023–2030.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to putting women and girls at the heart of all we do across our diplomatic and development activity. The Foreign Secretary and I have regular discussions with the Chancellor, including on Official Development Assistance (ODA). The FCDO's ODA programme allocations for 2024/25 will be published shortly. Ministers will consider ODA allocations for 2025/26 over the coming months and will publish them in the Annual Report & Accounts in summer 2025. The second phase of the Spending Review, concluding in late spring 2025, will set departmental ODA budgets for future years, including to support women and girls.

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 the Chancellor of the Exchequer on initiatives outlined in the International Women and Girls Strategy 2023–2030.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to putting women and girls at the heart of all we do across our diplomatic and development activity. The Foreign Secretary and I have regular discussions with the Chancellor, including on Official Development Assistance (ODA). The FCDO's ODA programme allocations for 2024/25 will be published shortly. Ministers will consider ODA allocations for 2025/26 over the coming months and will publish them in the Annual Report & Accounts in summer 2025. The second phase of the Spending Review, concluding in late spring 2025, will set departmental ODA budgets for future years, including to support women and girls.

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 impact of the UK-Nigeria strategic partnership on future trends in the level of aid distribution in Nigeria.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Nigeria-UK Strategic Partnership is intended to provide a comprehensive framework for achieving our shared objectives and further strengthening the bilateral relationship. One of the core pillars of the Strategic Partnership is a modernised development partnership. The UK and Nigeria have committed to work together to enhance good governance, reduce poverty and humanitarian need, and support human capital development. Nigeria and the UK are committed to a partnership that encourages long-term and sustainable development by building local institutional capacity and capability to address needs and priorities. To achieve this, the UK will continue to provide Nigeria with Official Development Assistance (ODA).

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of funding provided by his Department to (a) LAFIYA-UK and (b) other health programmes in Nigeria.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has worked to strengthen the health sector in Nigeria for over two decades, with the current flagship Lafiya programme reaching 40 million people across Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Borno and Yobe states. It does this by firstly strengthening existing health systems; secondly by providing extra resilience in healthcare for particularly vulnerable areas in Northern Nigeria; and finally, by improving access to family planning across Nigeria. All programmes in the health sector in Nigeria are reviewed annually for their effectiveness in line with all FCDO-funded programmes. In its most recent annual review, Lafiya scored an A+ rating.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the annual budget of the Soft Power Council is.

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

The first meeting of the Soft Power Council on 15 January was financed from within existing budgets. As the Council is a new area of activity, we continue, jointly with the Department for Culture Media and Sport, to work up a comprehensive spending review bid that will determine the Soft Power Council budget in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment has he made of the potential implications for his policies of the treatment of Christian refugees from Myanmar in India.

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

The UK Government is committed defending religious freedom for all in Myanmar. We are aware of Myanmar Christian refugees in India's Christian-majority states, Nagaland, and Mizoram. We continue to raise concerns about discrimination of religious minorities in international forums, including through our co-sponsorship of a UN Human Rights Council resolution on Myanmar in April 2024, which underscored the importance of addressing the root cause of violations against religious minorities, including Christians. Additionally, we provide funding to the UN's Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar and have established the Myanmar Witness programme to collect and preserve evidence of violations and abuses, including atrocities against religious minority groups within Myanmar.

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 effectiveness of distributing humanitarian aid to civilians in need through (a) local civil society, (b) education programmes and (c) faith groups in Myanmar.

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

19.9 million people in Myanmar need humanitarian assistance, many of whom are living in hard-to-reach areas. To overcome these barriers, over 54% of UK funding is directed to local civil society organisations, including faith groups and education providers, to reach those most in need. Due to the increasing humanitarian crisis, on 1st February the Minister of State for Development announced an uplift of £22.45 million in humanitarian support. Our increased humanitarian funding will help deliver healthcare to one million people in Myanmar.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 22001 on Belarus: Sanctions, what the terms of reference are for the cross-Government review of sanctions enforcement.

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

I launched the cross-Government review of sanctions at the first Small Ministerial Group on enforcement in October. The review is examining whether we have the right powers, approach, capacity and resourcing on policy, implementation and enforcement, with an urgent focus on strengthening the latter. The objectives are to make our sanctions easier to comply with, increase the deterrent effect of enforcement and maximise the flexibility of our cross-government toolkit. It is being led by the FCDO in collaboration with key sanctions Departments and is expected to conclude in Spring 2025.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 22001 on Belarus: Sanctions, what the timescale is for completing the cross-Government review of sanctions enforcement.

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

I launched the cross-Government review of sanctions at the first Small Ministerial Group on enforcement in October. The review is examining whether we have the right powers, approach, capacity and resourcing on policy, implementation and enforcement, with an urgent focus on strengthening the latter. The objectives are to make our sanctions easier to comply with, increase the deterrent effect of enforcement and maximise the flexibility of our cross-government toolkit. It is being led by the FCDO in collaboration with key sanctions Departments and is expected to conclude in Spring 2025.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 22001 on Belarus: Sanctions, who has been appointed to lead the cross-Government review of sanctions enforcement.

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

I launched the cross-Government review of sanctions at the first Small Ministerial Group on enforcement in October. The review is examining whether we have the right powers, approach, capacity and resourcing on policy, implementation and enforcement, with an urgent focus on strengthening the latter. The objectives are to make our sanctions easier to comply with, increase the deterrent effect of enforcement and maximise the flexibility of our cross-government toolkit. It is being led by the FCDO in collaboration with key sanctions Departments and is expected to conclude in Spring 2025.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding his Department has provided to the British Council in the 2024-25 financial year; what information his Department holds on the level of funding provided to equivalent organisations in other G7 countries; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the difference in funding levels on the projection of UK soft power.

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

In 2024/25, the FCDO will provide the British Council with £162.5 million Grant-in-Aid funding. The British Council is projected to generate £885 million from other sources over the same period, according to its Corporate Plan 2024-25. This self-generated income is largely derived from the British Council's teaching and exams businesses.

The British Council's specific charitable objects are set out in its Royal Charter. An assessment of any difference in levels of funding with international comparators is not directly equivalent given the British Council's specific charitable objects.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the planned frequency of meetings of the Soft Power Council is.

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

The Council aims to meet in plenary on a roughly quarterly basis. Smaller working groups and roundtables with the Council's members will form to examine specific geographies, themes and issues, with frequency of meetings calibrated according to need.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what transitional arrangements she plans to put in place for (a) local authorities and (b) developers to adapt to the provisions on grey belt development in the new National Planning Policy Framework.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

It is for individual local authorities to plan and make decisions regarding the locations of new development in their areas.

The amount of development that occurs in any given Green Belt will depend on local circumstances. Where a local authority proposes to alter its Green Belt boundaries through a Local Plan, the revised draft Plan will be created in consultation with the local community and submitted for rigorous independent examination by planning inspectors prior to its adoption.

Similarly, any planning application will be assessed in the light of policies in the adopted Plan, of relevant policy in the National Planning Policy Framework, and of all other factors the decision-makers find relevant to a particular planning case and its location, including the evidenced concerns of local people.

We have been clear that development on grey belt must be sustainable and we have introduced new Golden Rules to ensure that development benefits communities and nature. Our reforms to Green Belt policy do not lessen existing policy obligations to protect designated areas and minimise impacts on biodiversity.

Transitional arrangements for implementing policies in the revised National Planning Policy Framework are set out in Annex 1 of it.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to monitor the impact of development on grey belt land on local (a) ecosystems, (b) infrastructure and (c) community resources.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

It is for individual local authorities to plan and make decisions regarding the locations of new development in their areas.

The amount of development that occurs in any given Green Belt will depend on local circumstances. Where a local authority proposes to alter its Green Belt boundaries through a Local Plan, the revised draft Plan will be created in consultation with the local community and submitted for rigorous independent examination by planning inspectors prior to its adoption.

Similarly, any planning application will be assessed in the light of policies in the adopted Plan, of relevant policy in the National Planning Policy Framework, and of all other factors the decision-makers find relevant to a particular planning case and its location, including the evidenced concerns of local people.

We have been clear that development on grey belt must be sustainable and we have introduced new Golden Rules to ensure that development benefits communities and nature. Our reforms to Green Belt policy do not lessen existing policy obligations to protect designated areas and minimise impacts on biodiversity.

Transitional arrangements for implementing policies in the revised National Planning Policy Framework are set out in Annex 1 of it.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to ensure environmental protections are maintained when development occurs on grey belt land.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

It is for individual local authorities to plan and make decisions regarding the locations of new development in their areas.

The amount of development that occurs in any given Green Belt will depend on local circumstances. Where a local authority proposes to alter its Green Belt boundaries through a Local Plan, the revised draft Plan will be created in consultation with the local community and submitted for rigorous independent examination by planning inspectors prior to its adoption.

Similarly, any planning application will be assessed in the light of policies in the adopted Plan, of relevant policy in the National Planning Policy Framework, and of all other factors the decision-makers find relevant to a particular planning case and its location, including the evidenced concerns of local people.

We have been clear that development on grey belt must be sustainable and we have introduced new Golden Rules to ensure that development benefits communities and nature. Our reforms to Green Belt policy do not lessen existing policy obligations to protect designated areas and minimise impacts on biodiversity.

Transitional arrangements for implementing policies in the revised National Planning Policy Framework are set out in Annex 1 of it.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure community involvement in decisions on the (a) designation and (b) development of grey belt land.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

It is for individual local authorities to plan and make decisions regarding the locations of new development in their areas.

The amount of development that occurs in any given Green Belt will depend on local circumstances. Where a local authority proposes to alter its Green Belt boundaries through a Local Plan, the revised draft Plan will be created in consultation with the local community and submitted for rigorous independent examination by planning inspectors prior to its adoption.

Similarly, any planning application will be assessed in the light of policies in the adopted Plan, of relevant policy in the National Planning Policy Framework, and of all other factors the decision-makers find relevant to a particular planning case and its location, including the evidenced concerns of local people.

We have been clear that development on grey belt must be sustainable and we have introduced new Golden Rules to ensure that development benefits communities and nature. Our reforms to Green Belt policy do not lessen existing policy obligations to protect designated areas and minimise impacts on biodiversity.

Transitional arrangements for implementing policies in the revised National Planning Policy Framework are set out in Annex 1 of it.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to deliver humanitarian aid to support the Syrian people.

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

In response to recent events, humanitarian aid agencies have rapidly scaled up the ongoing international aid effort to support Syrians inside Syria and across the region. The UK announced an additional £61 million to support this. We have strict measures in place to ensure UK aid reaches those most in need. We conduct rigorous and robust checks to ensure aid goes to the people that need it, delivers value for money and protects against aid diversion.

The UK is working with the UN and other partners to ensure the aid response meets needs most effectively. To this end, we continue to advocate for flexible humanitarian funding, strengthened co-ordination, an updated needs assessment, and unimpeded access.

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 (a) ASEAN, (b) Five Eyes and (c) Japanese partners on (i) improving humanitarian aid access into Myanmar and (ii) best practice for ensuring aid reaches civilians most in need.

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

The UK is deeply concerned about Myanmar's worsening situation and growing humanitarian needs. On 1st February, the UK-led Joint Statement (which included all Five-Eyes as co-signatories), marking four years since the coup, called for the Myanmar military regime to de-escalate violence and ensure safe humanitarian access. At the ASEAN summit in July, the Foreign Secretary emphasised the need for full implementation of ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus to ensure safe humanitarian access across Myanmar. The G7 Foreign Ministers statement in November called on the Myanmar military regime to allow full, safe, and unimpeded humanitarian access in Myanmar. Over 54 per cent of the UK's support to Myanmar is directed through local civil society partners to ensure it reaches those most in need.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the Government’s policy is on the repatriation of British citizens who travelled to Islamic State-led territories to support that group.

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

Our priority remains to ensure the safety and security of the UK. We will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect the UK from those who pose a threat to our security.

All requests for consular assistance from Syria are considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all relevant circumstances including, but not limited to, national security.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to use UK research capacity in neglected tropical diseases to support his policy objectives in this area.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), a Product Development Partnership that develops novel medicines for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). DNDi partners with over 40 academic partners in the UK for its vital research. In addition, the FCDO is in the process of finalising an agreement to support a UK academic institution with the development of novel health technologies for NTDs.

The FCDO also supports UK research capability via our partnership with the Medical Research Council (MRC). This includes research on NTDs led by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine on the design of a community-based intervention for snakebite prevention funded through the FCDO/MRC Concordat.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support UK research into neglected tropical diseases.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), a Product Development Partnership that develops novel medicines for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). DNDi partners with over 40 academic partners in the UK for its vital research. In addition, the FCDO is in the process of finalising an agreement to support a UK academic institution with the development of novel health technologies for NTDs.

The FCDO also supports UK research capability via our partnership with the Medical Research Council (MRC). This includes research on NTDs led by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine on the design of a community-based intervention for snakebite prevention funded through the FCDO/MRC Concordat.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has plans to publish the outcomes of his Department's consultation on it's Africa policy.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary launched a five-month consultation to inform the UK's new approach to the African continent during his visit to Nigeria and South Africa in November. This follows the manifesto commitment to develop a fundamentally transformed partnership that engages with African countries as equals, promotes our economic growth ambitions and supports migration priorities. The new approach will be informed by the consultation and published later this year.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the effectiveness of UK aid distribution at reaching civilians in Syria.

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

The UK continues to monitor and respond to the humanitarian situation in Syria. Most border crossings remain open for humanitarian aid, enabling assistance to be delivered, except where conflict is constraining this. We continue to call for unhindered access and the facilitation of humanitarian operations.

The UK has announced a further £61 million to support vulnerable Syrians inside Syria and across the region. Through the UN, and international, and Syrian non-governmental organisations, we are providing food, healthcare, protection and other life-saving assistance. We remain in regular contact with those organisations to assess aid access and how they are managing delivery risks.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of Syrian refugees (a) in the UK and (b) globally who are returning to Syria.

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

The Home Office publishes data on asylum seekers and refugees who come to the UK in the 'Immigration System Statistics' quarterly release. The Home Office does not track the addresses of individuals once they have been granted refugee status, and refugees are free to move around or leave the UK.

As of 30 January, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimate that some 237,000 Syrians have returned to Syria since the fall of Assad. These figures include Syrians returning from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt, as well those transiting from beyond the region.

Found: Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown Graham Stuart Helen Whately Joe Robertson Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst Wendy Morton