Asked by: Robert Buckland (Conservative - South Swindon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment the Defending Democracy Taskforce has made of the implications for its work of the use of AI in election campaigns in (a) Pakistan and (b) Indonesia.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
The Defending Democracy Taskforce (DDTF) is committed to working with international partners to build collective democratic resilience and share best practice to tackle shared challenges including from dis/misinformation and AI.
In Indonesia, the UK is working with the government and civil society to strengthen their democratic processes against threats. We are also working with Indonesia to progress work on AI safety, following the AI Safety Summit in November 2023.
In Pakistan, the FCDO supported efforts to counter the influence of disinformation in the electoral process through the CSSF Hate Speech and Disinformation Programme, which supported the development of a fact-checking tool called iVerify.
The UK will continue to work with international partners holding elections this year to exchange best practice on shared threats to our election systems, including from AI. We will continue to monitor international electoral events to inform our work to protect the UK from interference in our democratic process, including elections.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Penrith and The Border)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of the disruption to shipping from Ukraine via the Black Sea on food supplies to the developing world.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
As a result of Ukrainian resilience and innovation, as well as our support and that of international partners, over 13 million tonnes of agricultural produce has been exported through the Black Sea since September 2023. These are the highest levels since the war began, which is a remarkable achievement.
These supplies are crucial for the resilience of global grain markets and global food security, which are especially important for the developing world. Developing countries, including Egypt, Indonesia and Pakistan, have directly received significant quantities of grain from Ukraine via the corridor.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to your Department's publication entitled Rt Hon Liz Truss MP and Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP overseas travel, October to December 2022, updated 30 March 2023, what the cost was of the accommodation used by the Prime Minister on his visit to Indonesia between 13 and 17 November 2022.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government publishes details on gov.uk of the total cost of overseas Ministerial travel, including costs of travel, and on other costs (visas, accommodation, meals).
But as has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular detail on Ministers’ travel at home or abroad, nor details of those accompanying them.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Department for International Trade's publication of ministerial travel data for July to September 2022, what the cost was of the (a) plane tickets and (b) accommodation used by the former Minister of State for International Trade on his visit to Indonesia from 20 to 24 September 2022.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government publishes, on gov.uk, details of the total cost of overseas Ministerial travel, including costs of travel, and of other costs (visas, accommodation, meals). However, as has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular detail on Ministers’ travel at home or abroad, nor details of those accompanying them.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Cabinet Office Ministerial Overseas Travel Transparency data, what the cost was of the (a) plane tickets and (b) accommodation used by the former President for COP26 on his visits to Indonesia between (i) 15 and 17 February 2022 and (ii) 30 August and 1 September 2022.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government publishes on gov.uk details of the total cost of overseas Ministerial travel, including costs of travel, and on other costs (visas, accommodation, meals).
But as has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular detail on Ministers’ travel at home or abroad, nor details of those accompanying them.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Answer of 28 December 2022 to Question 112071 on Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Aviation, what the cost was of the accommodation used by the former Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth on his visit to Indonesia from 27 August to 3 September 2022.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government publishes on gov.uk details of the total cost of overseas Ministerial travel, including costs of travel, and on other costs (visas, accommodation, meals). But as has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular detail on Ministers’ travel at home or abroad, nor details of those accompanying them.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the data entitled FCDO’s ministerial travel, July to September 2022, what the cost was of the accommodation used by the former Secretary of State on her visit to Indonesia from 6 to 8 July 2022.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Overall figures of government spend are regularly published as part of transparency releases. Information on all FCDO ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings from July to September 2022 can be found here [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fcdo-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-july-to-september-2022].
Foreign travel is a vital part of diplomacy. It is in the national interest that the Foreign Secretary and other Ministers travel abroad to pursue UK interests. Value for money is taken into account in all travel decisions.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to her Department's publication on ministerial travel data for July to September 2022, what the cost was of the (a) plane tickets and (b) accommodation used by the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Technology and the Digital Economy on his visit to Indonesia from 30 August to 3 September 2022.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government publishes on gov.uk details of the total cost of overseas Ministerial travel, including costs of travel, and on other costs (visas, accommodation, meals). But as has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular detail on Ministers’ travel at home or abroad, nor details of those accompanying them.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had discussions with his Indonesian counterpart on authorising a visit to West Papua by (a) the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, (b) Special Rapporteurs and (c) mandate holders.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK fully respects the territorial integrity of Indonesia and regards the provinces of Papua and West Papua as an integral part of Indonesia. The UK Government continues to support the efforts of the Indonesian authorities and civil society to address the needs and aspirations of the Papuan people. We hope dates for a visit by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights can be agreed soon.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the imprisonment of Apollinaris Darmawan in Indonesia.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK government is aware of Apollinaris Darmanwan's imprisonment. The UK government is committed to upholding freedom of speech and promoting freedom of religion in Indonesia. Officials at the British Embassy in Jakarta routinely meet members of all six officially recognised faiths and discuss the importance of freedom of religious belief.