Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to maintain global leadership on neglected tropical diseases, including fulfilling commitments under the Kigali Declaration and supporting delivery of the WHO NTD Roadmap 2021–2030; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of reductions in Official Development Assistance on those commitments.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has played a leading role on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and remains committed to tackling today's key global health challenges within the framework of a modern development partnership approach. The UK continues to invest in NTD research, including £3 million support to the Coalition for Operational Research on NTDs (COR-NTD) for research on Female Genital Schistosomiasis. We are also proud to provide up to £15 million to support the Eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis in Africa (ELFA) programme as part of the World Health Organisation 2030 NTD Road Map to prevent, control and eliminate NTDs by 2030. Announcements on future Official Development Assistance budgets will be made in due course.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to continue funding for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis in Africa; how she plans to uphold commitments under the Kigali Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases; and what steps she is taking to ensure that pharmaceutical drug donations for preventive chemotherapy programmes are utilised to protect communities from preventable and treatable diseases.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has played a leading role on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and remains committed to tackling today's key global health challenges within the framework of a modern development partnership approach. The UK continues to invest in NTD research, including £3 million support to the Coalition for Operational Research on NTDs (COR-NTD) for research on Female Genital Schistosomiasis. We are also proud to provide up to £15 million to support the Eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis in Africa (ELFA) programme as part of the World Health Organisation 2030 NTD Road Map to prevent, control and eliminate NTDs by 2030. Announcements on future Official Development Assistance budgets will be made in due course.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
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 impact of reductions in Official Development Assistance on global efforts to eliminate neglected tropical diseases; and what steps her Department is taking to mitigate risks identified by the World Health Organization.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has played a leading role on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and remains committed to tackling today's key global health challenges within the framework of a modern development partnership approach. The UK continues to invest in NTD research, including £3 million support to the Coalition for Operational Research on NTDs (COR-NTD) for research on Female Genital Schistosomiasis. We are also proud to provide up to £15 million to support the Eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis in Africa (ELFA) programme as part of the World Health Organisation 2030 NTD Road Map to prevent, control and eliminate NTDs by 2030. Announcements on future Official Development Assistance budgets will be made in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they are having with the African Union before their 39th Summit in February.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Ministers and officials are in regular discussion with the African Union (AU), and with individual member states about a range of shared priorities, including the AU Summit.
Baroness Chapman, the Minister for Development and Africa, attended this year's Summit, and addressed African Heads of State and Government at an event about Africa's Health Security. She is one of only two European Ministers attending the summit and is the first UK Minister to be invited in a decade, a signal of the strength of our relationship.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the repair of graves in the Gaza war cemetery in al-Tuffah.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided by the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa on 13 February in response to Question 111058, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:
The Gaza War Cemetery in al-Tuffah holds the remains of more than 3,000 men who gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars, the majority from the United Kingdom, but many also from Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa and other countries. As I said in the General Debate on 5 February, that includes Private William Jordan and Private Wilfrid Ogden, from my own constituency, who died during the Battles for Gaza in 1917.
There is justifiable distress in our country and elsewhere at the reports that the cemetery has been damaged by Israeli bulldozers, and we also deplore the reports that the cemetery has been used for Hamas military operations. Brave servicemen laid to rest overseas should never have had their graves defiled in this way. Alongside our international partners, we are raising our concerns about this with the Israeli authorities, and we will work with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to ensure that - when the circumstances allow - they are able to go to Gaza, assess what damage has been done, and do what is necessary to repair that damage.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with (a) her Israeli counterpart, (b) the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and (c) the Royal British Legion on the bulldozing of parts of The Gaza War Cemetery in al-Tuffah.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Gaza War Cemetery in al-Tuffah holds the remains of more than 3,000 men who gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars, the majority from the United Kingdom, but many also from Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa and other countries. As I said in the General Debate on 5 February, that includes Private William Jordan and Private Wilfrid Ogden, from my own constituency, who died during the Battles for Gaza in 1917.
There is justifiable distress in our country and elsewhere at the reports that the cemetery has been damaged by Israeli bulldozers, and we also deplore the reports that the cemetery has been used for Hamas military operations. Brave servicemen laid to rest overseas should never have had their graves defiled in this way. Alongside our international partners, we are raising our concerns about this with the Israeli authorities, and we will work with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to ensure that - when the circumstances allow - they are able to go to Gaza, assess what damage has been done, and do what is necessary to repair that damage.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Foreign Secretary sets out new cooperation on illegal migration from Horn of Africa on visit to Ethiopia, published on 2 February 2026, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Joint Development Agreement on the number of illegal migrants coming to the UK.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Joint Development Agreement announced by the Foreign Secretary marks a major milestone in an investment project by a UK company. It will support the growth of Ethiopia's economy by building new electric transmission lines to support Ethiopia's growth, electrification and further jobs. Supporting economic growth and job creation in Ethiopia helps address the underlying economic drivers that contribute to migration flows. The Department keeps the impact of all its investments and programmes under continuous review.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Diego Garcia military base, whether an exemption will exist from the Africa Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone provisions of the Pelindaba Treaty after sovereignty of the Chagos Islands is transferred from the United Kingdom to Mauritius.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 6 January to Question 103253.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 impact of the transfer of Diego Garcia to Mauritius on the risk of nuclear proliferation across the African continent, in the context of the influences of (a) Iran, (b) Russia, (c) China and (d) other actors.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 9 September 2025 in response to Question 70432.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to her Department’s World News Story entitled Cameroon: UK supports new generation of Central Africa researchers, published on 29 January 2026, what assessment she made of the potential impact of allocating the funding provided to Congo Rainforest Alliance for Forest Training for Sustainable Development to forest protection and community-based conservation on development and research for climate resilience.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Congo Rainforest Alliance for Forest Training (CRAFT) for Sustainable Development programme is a major milestone in advancing world‑class, locally led scientific research across the Congo Basin. Further details of all FCDO-funded programmes can be found at the Development Tracker website on GOV.UK. Each proposed programme is assessed in advance for the impact it will have on the UK's partnership objectives in the country in question, and for its cost-effectiveness in achieving that impact. Each approved programme is subsequently evaluated on an ongoing basis for its performance against agreed objectives, and for its delivery on time and on budget.