Question

To ask the President of COP26, with reference to the Answer of 18 October 2021 to Question 53867, on UN Climate Conference 2021, for what reason there was only one meeting in respect of COP26 in the latest transparency publication of his meetings from January to March 2021.

The quarterly lists of Ministerial meetings with external organisations do not include engagement with representatives of foreign governments. It is in the national interest that some diplomacy takes place privately, to allow open and candid discussions with other nations.

Notwithstanding this fact, Downing Street regularly publishes on GOV.UK summaries of diplomatic meetings and telephone calls, including those discussing climate change and COP26.

More broadly, I refer the Hon. Member to my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s oral statement today on the COP26 Summit.