Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of the United Nations Secretary-General's report Conflict-related Sexual Violence, published on 21 April, including the decision to list Israeli security forces, for the conduct of United Kingdom foreign policy towards Israel and Palestine.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The report of the UN Secretary-General on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence has not yet been formally published. We do not comment on reports ahead of publication. The UK condemns conflict related sexual violence wherever it occurs. We actively support the work of the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict and will continue engaging with international partners to ensure perpetrators are held to account and survivors receive justice and support. We remain steadfast in our commitment to strengthening accountability mechanisms for these crimes. With UK support, survivor reparations laws have been passed in Iraq, Colombia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Ukraine, alongside several landmark prosecutions and convictions in national courts in Guinea, Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We continue to call for all reports of abuses by all parties to be fully and thoroughly investigated by the relevant authorities.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the operational effectiveness of the new Entry Exit System for travellers from the United Kingdom to member states of the European Union.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The EU Entry Exit System (EES) is an EU scheme and questions around implementation remain a matter for the European Union and individual Member States.
The Department has engaged closely with the Home Office, Cabinet Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office to monitor the impacts of EES, inform the public and advocate for UK passengers travelling to Schengen member states. These Departments meet regularly as part of a Small Ministerial Group, chaired by the Cabinet Office, to actively oversee EES implementation and work together to mitigate impacts for British people.
The UK Government is working closely with the EU and member states to understand their rollout plans and to advocate for a pragmatic use of checks.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department holds information on average waiting times for US tourist and business visa applications submitted by dual-British citizens.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not hold the requested information; processing times for US visas are a matter for the US authorities. More information can be found on the State Department website.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
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 implications for her Department's policies of levels of progress made by the Government of Pakistan in tackling discrimination and unsafe working conditions affecting Christian and Hindu sanitation workers in the last 12 months.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 May in response to Question 77.
Asked by: Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what mechanisms will be introduced in the Sovereign Grant Review to prevent overlap of funding between the Sovereign Grant and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in respect of (1) inbound state visits to the UK, (2) outbound visits by members of the Royal Family, and (3) the monarch’s costs as Head of the Commonwealth.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Expenditure met from the Sovereign Grant and that met by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) budgets serve distinct purposes.
The Sovereign Grant provides funding to support the official duties of working Members of the Royal Family, including staff, overseas travel to conduct and prepare for outward State Visits and the maintenance of the Occupied Royal Palaces. The FCDO and other departments meet separate costs associated with the UK’s diplomatic activity, both in the UK and overseas.
The FCDO funds in-country arrangements for outward State Visits, including accommodation and wider hosting arrangements. For inward State Visits, the FCDO funds the accommodation of the visiting delegation, as well as gifts and certain ceremonial activity, such as the State Banquet.
For activity undertaken in respect of His Majesty’s role as Head of the Commonwealth, the Sovereign Grant, FCDO and other departments fund respective activities that support the UK’s diplomatic objectives. Costs associated exclusively with The King’s role as Head of the Commonwealth may be met by the host country or participating Commonwealth member states. As with inward and outward visits, there remains a clear distinction between funding provided by the Sovereign Grant, and the funding provided by the FCDO and other departments for Commonwealth-related activity.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of processing times for US tourist and/or business visas of British citizens born in Iran since January 2025.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not hold the requested information; processing times for US visas are a matter for the US authorities. More information can be found on the State Department website.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of removing the £55 fee for requesting trust information on the Register of Overseas Entities.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
In line with Managing Public Money (MPM) principles, Companies House sets its fees on a cost recovery basis. The £55 fee for providing access to trust information on the Register of Overseas Entities recovers the cost of delivering the service.
Companies House regularly reviews the level of its fees.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many overseas entities which did not comply with beneficial ownership were identified in 2025; how many penalties for non compliance were issued; and how many of those penalties were a) financial sanctions, b) disqualification and c) criminal sanctions.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Companies House did not identify any cases of beneficial ownership non-compliance during 2025. The legislation requires overseas entities to either provide details of their beneficial owners, or details of their managing officers when they are unable to identify their beneficial owners.
Therefore, Companies House did not issue any penalties for beneficial ownership non-compliance during 2025.
Asked by: Baroness Berger (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the Foreign Secretary has had with the Iranian Ambassador since 28 April regarding Iranian linked proxy violence in the United Kingdom; and what assessment they have made of the impact of such activity on social cohesion and threats to the UK's Iranian and Jewish communities.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
HMG regularly makes clear to Iran that the threats it poses to UK‑based citizens are unacceptable and must cease immediately. The Foreign Secretary raised this issue directly with her Iranian counterpart, FM Araghchi, on 8 May.
The police and security services continue to work tirelessly to protect Iranian dissidents, journalists and Jewish communities from the threat posed by Iran. It is vital that we also step up our support to protect social cohesion. On 30 April, the Government announced a further £25 million of immediate funding in 2026/27 to strengthen policing, protect Jewish communities and provide reassurance in response to the terrorist attack in Golders Green and recent spate of antisemitic attacks. In addition, £40 million is available for the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme, and £5 million is available to protect all other faiths groups through the Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential economic impact on British independent pig farmers of Spanish pork imports being diverted into the UK market following Spain’s loss of Chinese export contracts due to African Swine Fever; and what safeguards or tariffs can be deployed under current trade frameworks to prevent domestic producers from being undercut by state-subsidised or market-distorted foreign imports.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government routinely monitors imports of sensitive agricultural products for any unforeseen surges that could impact domestic industry. Imports from Spain currently account for 9.5% of UK pigmeat imports on a country-of-origin basis.
The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement – as is usual in trade agreements - confirms that both parties retain rights on trade remedies, including anti-dumping measures and WTO safeguards under GATT Article XIX. The Trade Remedies Authority investigates cases where imports may cause serious injury to domestic industries.
The UK also maintains robust sanitary and phytosanitary controls; in cases such as African Swine Fever, import restrictions and certification requirements apply.