Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the speech entitled Foreign Secretary's speech to the British Chamber of Commerce, published on 20 March 2025, what (a) programme of domestic roadshows and (b) Lancaster House Business Engagement Series events (i) took place in 2025 and (ii) are planned for 2026.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has a critical role in delivering the Government's Growth Mission internationally. Heads of Mission in 41 markets are using Strategic Economic Growth Plans to identify opportunities for business and attract inward investment. In 2025, the FCDO hosted a UK-ASEAN Business Forum under the Lancaster House Business Engagement Series and delivered 23 Heads of Mission Roadshows across the UK, with further activity being developed for this year. We will provide further updates on the proposed Diplomatic Business Placement Programme in the normal way in due course.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Chinese government on the detention and forcible disappearance of Gao Zhisheng and other religious leaders.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is aware of reports concerning the disappearance of Gao Zhisheng and other religious leaders. We continue to follow developments closely and regularly raise human rights concerns with the Chinese authorities.
We remain committed to promoting human rights and the rule of law globally. We continue to work with partners and in multilateral fora to end arbitrary detention, to advocate for those who have been arbitrarily detained to be released, and to demand accountability. We call on all states that engage in the practice of politically motivated detention and enforced disappearance to respect their international obligations and commitments.
Asked by: Juliet Campbell (Labour - Broxtowe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has contingency plans to support individuals fleeing conflict in the event of military intervention in Iran by the United States.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement the Foreign Secretary made to the House on 13 January, setting out our latest assessment of the position in Iran. We will inform the House of any further updates in that assessment in due course, including on the issues that she mentions.
Asked by: Juliet Campbell (Labour - Broxtowe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how the department has been working with the UK’s international allies to support pro-democracy protestors in Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement the Foreign Secretary made to the House on 13 January, setting out our latest assessment of the position in Iran. We will inform the House of any further updates in that assessment in due course, including on the issues that she mentions.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the speech entitled Foreign Secretary's speech to the British Chamber of Commerce, published on 20 March 2025, how many diplomats (a) have been seconded to businesses in 2025 and (b) are expected to be seconded to businesses in 2026 under the Diplomatic Placement Programme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has a critical role in delivering the Government's Growth Mission internationally. Heads of Mission in 41 markets are using Strategic Economic Growth Plans to identify opportunities for business and attract inward investment. In 2025, the FCDO hosted a UK-ASEAN Business Forum under the Lancaster House Business Engagement Series and delivered 23 Heads of Mission Roadshows across the UK, with further activity being developed for this year. We will provide further updates on the proposed Diplomatic Business Placement Programme in the normal way in due course.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which heads of mission have developed Strategic Economic Growth Plans.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has a critical role in delivering the Government's Growth Mission internationally. Heads of Mission in 41 markets are using Strategic Economic Growth Plans to identify opportunities for business and attract inward investment. In 2025, the FCDO hosted a UK-ASEAN Business Forum under the Lancaster House Business Engagement Series and delivered 23 Heads of Mission Roadshows across the UK, with further activity being developed for this year. We will provide further updates on the proposed Diplomatic Business Placement Programme in the normal way in due course.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will set out the factors that his Department take into account when deciding on a case-by-case basis whether to approve the United States' use of its military bases in the UK for operational purposes.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Due to operational security reasons, the specific factors of consideration cannot be disclosed. However, all decisions on whether to approve foreign nations’ use of military bases in the UK for operational purposes considers the legal basis and policy rationale for any proposed activity.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, at what monetary thresholds do exit payments to departing Ambassadors or Heads of Mission need to be approved by (a) the Accounting Officer and Permanent Secretary of FCDO and (b) the Chief Secretary to the Treasury; and whether they need to be published by name of the civil servant in departmental accounts.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The guidance governing the approval of such payments is publicly available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-sector-exit-payments-guidance-on-special-severance-payments.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information she holds on the value of US bonds held by the Bank of England.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The UK’s foreign currency assets are held by:
a) HM Treasury in the Exchange Equalisation Account (EEA). HM Treasury appoints the Bank of England as its agent to manage the EEA on a day-to-day basis.
b) The Bank of England.
Data on the UK’s holdings of foreign currency assets, split by currency, is published quarterly (with a one month lag) by the Bank of England. The latest is available here: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/statistics/uk-international-reserves/2025/december-2025
As of 30th September 2025, the EEA holds $60,083 million of US dollar-denominated assets. The Bank of England holds $15,183 million of US dollar-denominated assets.
Asked by: Peter Swallow (Labour - Bracknell)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help protect democratic processes from foreign interference.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Protecting UK democratic processes from foreign interference is a top priority for the Government.
The Joint Election Security and Preparedness Unit coordinates work across government to respond to a range of threats to elections, including foreign interference.
We are implementing our Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan to harden UK politics against foreign interference, and the Rycroft review into foreign financial interference in UK politics is underway.