Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraphs 99 and 102 of his Department's policy paper entitled Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections, published on 17 July 2025, whether the donation threshold of £7,500 will be uprated to £11,180, in line with the threshold for unincorporated associations.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Our ‘Strategy for Modern and Secure Elections’ sets out how we will respond to the threat of foreign interference by strengthening the rules around political donations. This includes ensuring that unincorporated associations are prevented from making significant campaign contributions unless they can verify and disclose the source of their funding, and requiring donors to declare any benefits received in connection with their donation.
We will ensure the appropriate thresholds for these requirements are uprated from £7,500 to £11,180 in line with other thresholds in electoral law.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 99 of the policy paper entitled Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections, published on 17 July 2025, to what activities would the proposed thresholds of (a) £11,180 and (b) £2,230 apply.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Our ‘Strategy for Modern and Secure Elections’ sets out how we will respond to the threat of foreign interference by strengthening the rules around political donations. This includes ensuring that unincorporated associations are prevented from making significant campaign contributions unless they can verify and disclose the source of their funding, and requiring donors to declare any benefits received in connection with their donation.
We will ensure the appropriate thresholds for these requirements are uprated from £7,500 to £11,180 in line with other thresholds in electoral law.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will place the desk note on Direct Ministerial Appointments in the House of Commons Library.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
On 30 October the government published for the first time guidance for departments on the process for ministers making Direct Ministerial Appointments. This replaced earlier internal desk note guidance for departments, which had been rewritten to provide greater clarity for a wider audience, including setting out publicly where Direct Ministerial Appointments sit within the various routes into government.
On 3 November the Cabinet Secretary, during his evidence session before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, agreed to send - and subsequently sent - a copy of the previous internal departmental desk note to the Committee. A copy of this now superseded desk note guidance will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if her Department will publish an updated list of the countries with which the UK has negotiated arrangements allowing British citizens to use automated border e-gates.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Approximately 54 ports currently provide UK nationals with access to eGates in countries including France, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and Greece. Access arrangements within the Schengen Area may vary for day-to-day operational reasons, so this estimate is subject to change.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 84226 on Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, when he plans to communicate to Parliament the conclusion of the multiyear ODA funding allocation process.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK announced on 11 November that it will invest £850 million in the Global Fund's Eighth Replenishment. This is expected to save up to 1.3 million lives in the countries where the Global Fund works as well as helping to prevent the spread of diseases to the UK. Decisions on multi-year allocations are being worked through and announcements will be made in due course.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to (a) investigate (i) war crimes and (ii) genocide in Sudan and (b) support international efforts to (A) end violence and (B) protect civilians in that country; whether she plans to (1) impose targeted sanctions on those responsible for that violence and (2) prevent UK arms exports; and what plans her Department has to increase the (a) volume and (b) effectiveness of humanitarian aid in that country.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the statement made by the Foreign Secretary on Sudan on 18 November, which addressed all these issues at length.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of UK bilateral aid was spent on tackling violence against women and girls in the 2024-5 financial year.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The requested figures are not yet available, but on the wider issue raised, I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 13 March 2025 to Question 33985.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 impact of the Child Nutrition Fund on nutrition outcomes for women, children and new-borns in Nigeria.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer she was provided on 14 March in response to Question 35278.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what is the longest waiting time for a Academic Technology Approval Scheme application to be processed was in the last 12 months.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Most Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) applications are straight forward and 98% of applications during the past year were processed within 30 working days. Between 1 January 2025 to 13 November 2025, the Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office received 33,945 ATAS applications. 670 of those applications were delayed beyond 30 working days.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many outstanding applications for Academic Technology Approval Scheme applications have waited for longer than 30 working days.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Most Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) applications are straight forward and 98% of applications during the past year were processed within 30 working days. Between 1 January 2025 to 13 November 2025, the Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office received 33,945 ATAS applications. 670 of those applications were delayed beyond 30 working days.