Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
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 (a) her Israeli counterpart, (b) the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and (c) the Royal British Legion on the bulldozing of parts of The Gaza War Cemetery in al-Tuffah.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Gaza War Cemetery in al-Tuffah holds the remains of more than 3,000 men who gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars, the majority from the United Kingdom, but many also from Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa and other countries. As I said in the General Debate on 5 February, that includes Private William Jordan and Private Wilfrid Ogden, from my own constituency, who died during the Battles for Gaza in 1917.
There is justifiable distress in our country and elsewhere at the reports that the cemetery has been damaged by Israeli bulldozers, and we also deplore the reports that the cemetery has been used for Hamas military operations. Brave servicemen laid to rest overseas should never have had their graves defiled in this way. Alongside our international partners, we are raising our concerns about this with the Israeli authorities, and we will work with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to ensure that - when the circumstances allow - they are able to go to Gaza, assess what damage has been done, and do what is necessary to repair that damage.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the repair of graves in the Gaza war cemetery in al-Tuffah.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided by the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa on 13 February in response to Question 111058, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:
The Gaza War Cemetery in al-Tuffah holds the remains of more than 3,000 men who gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars, the majority from the United Kingdom, but many also from Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa and other countries. As I said in the General Debate on 5 February, that includes Private William Jordan and Private Wilfrid Ogden, from my own constituency, who died during the Battles for Gaza in 1917.
There is justifiable distress in our country and elsewhere at the reports that the cemetery has been damaged by Israeli bulldozers, and we also deplore the reports that the cemetery has been used for Hamas military operations. Brave servicemen laid to rest overseas should never have had their graves defiled in this way. Alongside our international partners, we are raising our concerns about this with the Israeli authorities, and we will work with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to ensure that - when the circumstances allow - they are able to go to Gaza, assess what damage has been done, and do what is necessary to repair that damage.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what initiatives her Department supports that mitigate adverse effects of resource extraction on low-income countries.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK works with resource-rich developing countries to reduce potential negative impacts of resource extraction. Programming through the Jobs and Inclusive Growth Centre of Excellence supports the sustainable development of critical mineral resources across Asia, Africa, and South America including by co-developing sustainable production roadmaps, alongside research and policy advice. Our Forest Governance, Markets and Climate Programme promotes responsible mining practices that protect forests, conserve biodiversity, and respect the rights and livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
The UK's strong multilateral presence enables us to shape global standards, including through the G7 and Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. The UK's longstanding position is that all UK businesses should respect human rights and the environment throughout their supply chains in line with the OECD Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
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 support her Department has offered to the a) Republic of Mozambique, b) Republic of Zimbabwe and c) Republic of South Africa following the recent flooding incidents in those countries; and what direct engagement has taken place between His Majesty's Government and Ministers in each nation about the recovery effort.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK was one of the first countries to step up with lifesaving assistance for Mozambique. We delivered a £2 million increase in humanitarian funding, building on earlier action in 2025 to help communities prepare for increasingly frequent climate-related disasters. This support enabled the deployment of a specialist UK International Search and Rescue team, which saved dozens of lives, and helped provide emergency sanitation and health support to those most in need through local partners. The Minister of State for Development has just returned from Mozambique and saw first-hand the impact of the UK's flexible and rapid response to the crisis.
We have not had any direct ministerial engagement with Zimbabwe or South Africa on this matter, but we continue to monitor the situation closely.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the news story entitled UK-SA Trade Pact Unlocks Tariff Savings for Local Exporters, published on 26 January 2026, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the UK-South Africa Economic Partnership Agreement on job creation in the UK.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On average, from 2022 to 2024, the agreement between the UK and SACUM members has resulted in over £2.3bn of imports entering the UK eligible for reduced duties each year, with £2.1bn benefitting from the lower duty rate afforded under the agreement. During this time, more than £2.0bn of goods benefitting from reduced duties originated from South Africa.
The EPA has delivered tariff savings and lowered import costs for British consumers and businesses. As set out in the UK Trade Strategy, we have started a tariff review of the UK-SACUM EPA that will aim to further reduce tariff barriers under the Agreement. We will update Parliament once these discussions conclude.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the news story entitled UK-SA Trade Pact Unlocks Tariff Savings for Local Exporters, published on 26 January 2026, what metrics his Department uses to assess whether the UK-South Africa Economic Partnership Agreement is delivering economic growth.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On average, from 2022 to 2024, the agreement between the UK and SACUM members has resulted in over £2.3bn of imports entering the UK eligible for reduced duties each year, with £2.1bn benefitting from the lower duty rate afforded under the agreement. During this time, more than £2.0bn of goods benefitting from reduced duties originated from South Africa.
The EPA has delivered tariff savings and lowered import costs for British consumers and businesses. As set out in the UK Trade Strategy, we have started a tariff review of the UK-SACUM EPA that will aim to further reduce tariff barriers under the Agreement. We will update Parliament once these discussions conclude.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the news story entitled UK-SA Trade Pact Unlocks Tariff Savings for Local Exporters, published on 26 January 2026, whether he plans to (a) review and (b) update the UK–Southern Africa Economic Partnership Agreement.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On average, from 2022 to 2024, the agreement between the UK and SACUM members has resulted in over £2.3bn of imports entering the UK eligible for reduced duties each year, with £2.1bn benefitting from the lower duty rate afforded under the agreement. During this time, more than £2.0bn of goods benefitting from reduced duties originated from South Africa.
The EPA has delivered tariff savings and lowered import costs for British consumers and businesses. As set out in the UK Trade Strategy, we have started a tariff review of the UK-SACUM EPA that will aim to further reduce tariff barriers under the Agreement. We will update Parliament once these discussions conclude.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the news story entitled UK-SA Trade Pact Unlocks Tariff Savings for Local Exporters, published on 26 January 2026, what estimate his Department has made of the value of tariff savings generated by the UK–South Africa Economic Partnership Agreement in each year since 2021.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On average, from 2022 to 2024, the agreement between the UK and SACUM members has resulted in over £2.3bn of imports entering the UK eligible for reduced duties each year, with £2.1bn benefitting from the lower duty rate afforded under the agreement. During this time, more than £2.0bn of goods benefitting from reduced duties originated from South Africa.
The EPA has delivered tariff savings and lowered import costs for British consumers and businesses. As set out in the UK Trade Strategy, we have started a tariff review of the UK-SACUM EPA that will aim to further reduce tariff barriers under the Agreement. We will update Parliament once these discussions conclude.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the news story entitled UK-SA Trade Pact Unlocks Tariff Savings for Local Exporters, published on 26 January 2026, what assessment he has made of the impact of the UK–Southern Africa Economic Partnership Agreement on UK–South Africa trade.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On average, from 2022 to 2024, the agreement between the UK and SACUM members has resulted in over £2.3bn of imports entering the UK eligible for reduced duties each year, with £2.1bn benefitting from the lower duty rate afforded under the agreement. During this time, more than £2.0bn of goods benefitting from reduced duties originated from South Africa.
The EPA has delivered tariff savings and lowered import costs for British consumers and businesses. As set out in the UK Trade Strategy, we have started a tariff review of the UK-SACUM EPA that will aim to further reduce tariff barriers under the Agreement. We will update Parliament once these discussions conclude.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many British citizens were murdered in overseas countries in each of the last five years by country .
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since 2021 we have supported bereaved families in approximately 250 cases of the murder or manslaughter of British nationals abroad. To protect the privacy of the bereaved, we do not publish country‑level figures where fewer than five cases are recorded. Fifteen countries recorded more than five such cases since 2021: Pakistan, Spain, the United States, South Africa, Israel, Australia, Jamaica, France, Thailand, Kenya, New Zealand, Mexico, Turkey, Barbados, and Trinidad & Tobago. All other countries recorded fewer than five cases individually over that time period.