Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans the Government has to conduct an inquiry, investigation or review into foreign interference at elections and with elected members at all levels.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
It is, and always will be, an absolute priority for this Government to protect our democratic and electoral processes. This is why on 18 November, I set out a Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan to disrupt and deter foreign influence and spying from foreign states.
We recognise that elected representatives are potential targets for foreign influence and interference. In October 2025, the National Protective Security Agency published its guidance on how members of Parliament and their Parliamentary staff can protect themselves from foreign states and its proxies in relation to espionage and foreign interference.
Asked by: Jonathan Hinder (Labour - Pendle and Clitheroe)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to limit the purchase of new-build properties by foreign investors.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has already made changes to the tax system to reduce demand for housing as an investment opportunity for overseas investors.
Non-UK residents already pay a 2% surcharge on top of the residential rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) when purchasing a dwelling in England or Northern Ireland.
At the Autumn Budget 2024, the government increased the higher rates of SDLT, which are also paid by non-UK residents purchasing additional property, by two percentage points from 3% to 5%.
Increasing the higher rates of SDLT helps to ensure that those looking to move home, or purchase their first property, have a greater advantage over second home buyers, landlords and companies purchasing residential property.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for what reason the suspension of arms sales to Israel is not listed on his Department and Export Control Joint Unit's official guidance.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The suspension of licences on 2 September 2024 was announced in a Written Statement to Parliament published by the then Secretary of State for Business and Trade and in the then Foreign Secretary’s Oral Statement on that date. The suspension was also communicated publicly via a Notice to Exporters, and any exporters impacted by the decision were contacted directly.
The UK’s export control guidance includes general information on the regulatory framework for strategic export controls, our lists of controlled items and the circumstances where exporters might need an export licence.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what determinations govern jurisdiction in Lough Foyle; and what measures are in place to regulate aquaculture in the Lough.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government's position on Lough Foyle has not changed. The regulation of activities in Lough Foyle is the responsibility of the Loughs Agency, a cross-border body established under the Belfast Agreement of 1998. We remain fully committed to these arrangements, while open to ways to improve the management of the Lough.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has raised reports of support for the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan by the government of the United Arab Emirates with her Emirati counterpart.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 5 November and the statement on Sudan made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November, when these issues were discussed at length.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
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 policies of reports of the United Arab Emirates support for the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 5 November and the statement on Sudan made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November, when these issues were discussed at length.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
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 ensure no British-made weaponry is being used in the war in Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 5 November and the statement on Sudan made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November, when these issues were discussed at length.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions have been had with US counterparts about potential US political interference in UK domestic political discourse.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
UK ministers and officials are in regular dialogue with their US counterparts on a wide range of issues. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary met the US Secretary of State in Washington DC on 8 December to discuss the cooperation between our two countries on areas vital to our shared interests and security.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the National Security Adviser discussed media freedoms in his recent meeting with President Vučić.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 20 October to Question 81835.
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, if she will publish all correspondence from (a) her, (b) her ministers and (c) her officials to the Planning Inspectorate regarding the Chinese Embassy planning application.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 29 October in response to Question 84208.