Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what financial arrangements have been made for the continued lease of the Diego Garcia military base; and what estimate he has made of the annual costs of that base.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
There is no lease with respect to Diego Garcia. US presence and operations in the British Indian Ocean Territory are governed by a series of international agreements, beginning with a 1966 Exchange of Notes between the US and UK
The direct cost to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for running the UK element of the UK-US military base in the British Indian Ocean Territory in financial year 2023-24 was £3.8 million. This excludes minor costs incurred directly by, for example, visiting units or HQ elements in the UK. Any costs incurred by other government departments cannot be provided by MOD
With regard to the agreement reached between the UK and Mauritius, details of the proposed treaty will come before Parliament for scrutiny in the usual manner following its signature.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what provisional allocation of defence spending he has made to cover the costs associated with the (a) Chagos Islands deal and (b) the transfer of sovereignty to Mauritius.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The terms of the treaty and the associated funding arrangements are still being finalised, and no decision has been made at this time. This will be laid before Parliament in the usual way.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps is he taking to engage philanthropic organisations in (a) global nutrition and (b) food security investments.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government works closely with philanthropic organisations on food security investments and to deliver global nutrition outcomes.
On global nutrition, we partner with the Gates Foundation and the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, via the Child Nutrition Fund. The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office co-chairs the Action Review Panel on Child Wasting which includes philanthropic organisations, to take action on acute malnutrition.
On food security investments, the UK co-funds agricultural research with the Gates Foundation. Over the last 15 years this collaboration, drawing on UK science and expertise, has led to significant impacts including climate resilient nutritious crops and livestock vaccines for smallholder farmers.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what funding has been allocated from the Official Development Assistance budget for conservation projects in the Falkland Islands.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Falkland Islands are financially self-sufficient and do not receive Official Development Assistance. The UK Government has partnered with the Falkland Islands on several conservation projects including those supported through Defra's Darwin Plus programme. These include projects to restore native habitats, strengthen marine mammal management, and build capacity to respond to the threat of wildfires.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to support the integration of greener practices in (a) global healthcare and (b) the surgical sector to meet net-zero emissions targets while improving patient outcomes.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since COP26, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has promoted climate-resilient and sustainable health systems, including in the surgical sector. We co-founded the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health, with over 90 country members to drive implementation through best practice exchange and collective action. We have showcased UK practice and research, e.g. actions to meet NHS net-zero targets, including supply chains.
Our diplomatic efforts supported "climate and health" resolutions and declarations at World Health Assemblies and COPs. Through bilateral projects and the World Bank Health Systems Fund, we help partners undertake diagnostics, develop plans, and mobilise resources for resilient and sustainable health systems.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans he has to negotiate any new state-level trade agreements with the United States.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The UK is exploring various avenues to strengthen UK-U.S. trade ties and support economic growth, in tandem with development of the Industrial and Trade Strategies. The UK continues to deliver against commitments in signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with individual U.S. states, to help UK businesses deepen their commercial links and facilitate trade.
The UK most recently signed an MoU concerning co-operation on economic relations, trade and investment with the State of Colorado on 27 January 2025
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 enhance the safety and security of aid workers in conflict zones.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We recognise the vital role that aid workers play in conflicts, and the risks they face. In May 2024, the UK co-sponsored UN Security Resolution 2730. The resolution establishes a regular reporting mechanism to highlight the safety and security of all humanitarian personnel at the Security Council and provide recommendations on measures to protect and enhance the safety and security of humanitarian personnel, assets and premises and ensure accountability.
As a permanent Member at the UN Security Council, we will continue to use our position to protect aid workers, champion compliance with International Humanitarian Law and seek accountability for violations.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to undertake further consultation with stakeholders following the completion of Baroness Shafik’s Independent Development Review.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As my Rt Hon Friend the Member for Oxford East wrote in response to question 28558, the Foreign Secretary is considering his response to the three reviews he commissioned into the UK's Global Impact, Development and Economic Diplomacy. The Foreign Secretary and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Ministers will continue to meet key stakeholders on a wide range of issues, including international development, in the course of their duties, and as part of a commitment to harnessing a wide range of perspectives and integrating them into the FCDO's policy and strategy.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of introducing a phased reduction in employer National Insurance contributions for businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has taken a number of difficult but necessary decisions on tax, welfare, and spending to fix the public finances, fund public services, and restore economic stability after the situation we inherited from the previous administration.
One of the toughest decisions we took was to raise the rate of employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) from 13.8% to 15%, whilst reducing the per-employee threshold at which employers start to pay National Insurance (the Secondary Threshold) from £9,100 to £5,000.
The Government decided to protect the smallest businesses from these changes by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that next year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, and more than half of all employers will either gain or will see no change. It means employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage without paying a penny of employer NICs.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 monitor the effectiveness of the Government's humanitarian aid response in conflict-affected regions receiving Official Development Assistance.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to independently evaluating the relevance, effectiveness, impact, value for money and sustainability of its Official Development Assistance (ODA) and non-ODA programmes as required in the International Development Act (2015). The FCDO's Programme Operating Framework sets out the mandatory rules for FCDO programme delivery. This requires regular monitoring to provide performance and financial oversight and evaluate performance and impact. The Framework is published on GOV.UK and programme Annual and Closure Reviews are published on DevTracker.