Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress has been made towards ratifying the UK–Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement signed by the previous Government in November 2023; what outstanding steps are required before the Agreement can be laid before Parliament; and when she expects the ratification process to be completed.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government continues to keep the UK-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement, including the question of ratification, under review and is considering next steps in light of the wider context and our broader bilateral relationship with Cuba. We are not able to provide a timetable for completion of the ratification process at this stage. The delay does not change our longstanding policy towards Cuba or prevent continued diplomatic engagement, including on human rights and the humanitarian situation and areas of practical cooperation.
Asked by: Tim Roca (Labour - Macclesfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to tackle (a) the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Cuba, and (b) the impact of US sanctions on food, fuel and medicine supplies and the effect of prolonged power blackouts on Cuban citizens.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains concerned about the serious humanitarian situation in Cuba, particularly shortages of fuel, food and essential medicines. Fuel shortages are disrupting essential services and constraining the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The UK supports humanitarian relief through international and multilateral partners including the World Food Programme, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund. We continue to engage with international partners and assess what further practical support may be possible, while balancing competing humanitarian priorities globally.
The UK has consistently opposed the longstanding US embargo against Cuba, including through our voting position at the UN. We consider the embargo harmful to the Cuban people and counterproductive. Recent US measures affecting fuel supplies, finance and economic activity have compounded humanitarian pressures. Cuba's current challenges cannot, however, be explained by sanctions alone. Sustainable improvement also requires domestic economic reform.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
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 United States sanctions and restrictions on the humanitarian situation in Cuba.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Honourable Member to the responses I gave in the Urgent Question debate on 8 June.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
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 with international partners to mitigate the humanitarian impact of United States sanctions and restrictions on Cuba.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Honourable Member to the responses I gave in the Urgent Question debate on 8 June.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what political appointments have been made to roles within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office since July 2000; and what the role and remuneration is for each appointee.
Answered by Uma Kumaran - Assistant Whip
Since July 2000, the following individuals with political backgrounds have been appointed to ambassadorial or high commissioner roles:
Alastair Goodlad, High Commissioner to Australia (2000-2005);
Helen Liddell, High Commissioner to Australia (2005-2009);
Paul Boateng, High Commissioner to South Africa (2005-2009);
Baroness Amos, High Commissioner to Australia (2009-2010);
Edward Llewellyn, Ambassador to France (2016-2021);
Sir George Hollingbery, Ambassador to Cuba ( 2021 - 2025);
Sir Edward Llewellyn, Ambassador to Italy and San Marino (2022 - 2026); and
Lord Mandelson, Ambassador to the United States of America (2025).
Ambassadors and High Commissioners are appointed by His Majesty on the recommendation of the Foreign Secretary under the Royal Prerogative. Most are career members of the Diplomatic Service, although appointments may also be made from outside the Diplomatic Service.
Information relating to the remuneration of individual appointees is personal information and is not routinely disclosed.
Asked by: David Reed (Conservative - Exmouth and Exeter East)
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 July 2026 to question 17245, to what countries and on what date has the Rapid Deployment Team been sent to provide consular assistance.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office deploys Rapid Deployment Teams when additional support is needed following a crisis or major incident affecting British nationals overseas. Further to my reply on 15 July 2026 to Question 17245, I refer the Honourable Member to the table below, which lists the countries and locations where Rapid Deployment Teams have provided assistance since 2011, the earliest year for which data is available.
Year | Month | Countries and locations | Crisis |
2011 | April | Morocco | Marrakesh bombing |
October | Thailand | Floods | |
2012 | January | Italy | Costa Concordia |
February | France | Reims bus crash | |
November | Israel and Cyprus | Gaza-Israel political crisis | |
November | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Political crisis | |
2013 | January | Algeria | Hostage crisis |
April | France | Alpe d'Huez bus crash | |
July | Egypt | Political crisis | |
September | Kenya | Westgate shopping centre attack | |
November | Philippines | Typhoon Haiyan | |
December | South Sudan | Evacuation | |
2014 | February | Ukraine | Ukraine Crisis |
May | Thailand | Military coup | |
July | Israel | Gaza-Israel | |
July | Ukraine and the Netherlands | MH17 plane crash | |
July | Tunisia and Malta | Libyan rebel insurgency | |
October | Nepal | Annapurna avalanche | |
December | Philippines | Typhoon Hagupit | |
2015 | April | Djibouti | Yemen Crisis |
April | Nepal | Earthquake | |
June | Tunisia | Sousse terrorist attack | |
November | Egypt | Sharm El Sheikh airport crisis | |
November | France | Paris attacks | |
2016 | March | Belgium | Brussels attacks |
July | South Sudan | Evacuation | |
2017 | January | The Gambia | Political unrest |
July | France | Nice attacks | |
July | Turkey | Military coup | |
September | Multiple European countries | Monarch airlines collapse | |
September | Multiple Caribbean countries | Hurricanes Irma and Maria | |
November | Indonesia | Bali volcano eruption | |
2018 | August | Indonesia | Lombok earthquake |
2019 | April | Sri Lanka | Bombings |
August | Hong Kong | Political unrest | |
September | The Bahamas | Hurricane Dorian | |
September | Multiple countries across Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, North America and the Caribbean | Thomas Cook collapse | |
2020 | February | China, Cuba, Spain, Peru and Japan | Coronavirus response |
August | Lebanon | Beirut port explosion | |
2021 | February | Myanmar | Military coup |
August | Afghanistan, Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates | Evacuation | |
2022 | February | Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova | Ukraine response |
2023 | April | Sudan, Cyprus and Saudi Arabia | Evacuation |
July | Greece | Wildfires | |
July | France | Niger coup | |
August | Egypt | Violent reprisals | |
October | Israel, Cyprus, Jordan and Egypt | Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories crisis | |
2024 | July | Jamaica and Grenada | Hurricane Beryl |
September | Lebanon and Cyprus | Lebanon crisis | |
2025 | June | Israel, Jordan, Cyprus and Egypt | Israel-Iran crisis |
October | Jamaica | Hurricane Melissa | |
2026 | March | Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar | Assisted Departures |
May | Spain | Hantavirus response | |
August | Nepal | Flood response |
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will provide an update on whether there have been any recent military developments in Cuba.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence is engaged with FCDO, Cabinet Office and Home Office colleagues in monitoring the situation in Cuba, including the potential for humanitarian impact on our regional overseas territories.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart regarding military developments in Cuba.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The US is the UK’s principal defence and security partner. The Defence Secretary and his officials are in regular contact with US counterparts on a range of topics to ensure coherence and alignment between our two nations, including most recently at the NATO Summit on 8 July.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to Question 8103, which foreign missions have i.) requested and ii.) received a personalised registration number; and how many personal registration numbers do each of those foreign missions have.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) may issue a personalised registration number to a foreign mission on request, subject to availability. Any foreign mission is able to have a maximum of two personalised registration numbers at any given time.
The table below show which foreign missions have been issued with one or two personalised registrations.
Foreign missions with one personalised registration | |
Afghanistan | Korea |
Angola | Kosovo |
Antigua & Barbuda | Kuwait |
Argentina | Latvia |
Armenia | Lebanon |
Australia High Commission | Lesotho |
Austria | Liberia |
Bangladesh | Libyan |
Belgium | Lithuania |
Belize | Luxembourg |
Bolivia | Madagascar |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Malaysia |
Botswana | Maldives |
Brazil | Malta |
Bulgaria | Mauritania |
Burundi | Mauritius |
Cambodia | Mexico |
Cameroon | Moldova |
Canada | Morocco |
Chile | Mozambique |
China | Montenegro |
Columbia | Myanmar |
Commonwealth Secretariat | Nepal |
Cote d’Ivoire | Norway |
Croatia | Oman |
Cuba | Pakistan |
Cyprus | Panama |
Czech Republic | Papua New Guinea |
Democratic people`s republic of Korea | Peru |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | Philippines |
Denmark | Qatar |
Dominica High Commission | Romania |
Dominican Republic | Rwanda |
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts | Saint Kitts & Nevis |
Ecuador | Senegal |
El Salvador | Sierra Leone |
Estonia | Singapore |
Ethiopia | Slovakia |
European Delegation to the UK | Slovenia |
Fiji | South Africa High Commission |
Finland | South Australia |
France | Spain |
Gabon | Sri Lanka |
Gambia | St Lucia |
Georgia | St Vincent & Grenadines |
Germany | Sudan |
Greece | Sweden |
Grenada | Tajikistan |
Guinea | Tanzania |
Guyana | Tonga |
Haiti | Trinidad & Tobago |
Honduras | Tunisia |
Hungary | Turkmenistan |
Iceland | Uganda |
International Maritime Organisation | Ukraine |
India | Uruguay |
Indonesia | Uzbekistan |
Iran | Victoria (consulate) |
Italy | Vietnam |
Jamaica | Western Australia |
Japan | Yemen |
Jordan | Zambia |
Kazakhstan | Zimbabwe |
Kenya | |
Foreign missions with two personalised registrations | |
Brunei | |
Ghana | |
Netherlands | |
New Zealand | |
Nigeria | |
Portugal | |
Russian Federation | |
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
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 international partners on improving humanitarian access to Cuba.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the responses I gave in the Urgent Question debate on 8 June.