Asked by: Adam Holloway (Conservative - Gravesham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring political institutional reform in Ukraine as a condition of providing reconstruction aid to that country.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The new UK-Ukraine Agreement on Security Cooperation sets out our reform expectations for the Government of Ukraine, aligning with priority reforms set by NATO, the EU, the International Monetary Fund and our G7 Partners. Ukraine has continued to reiterate its commitment to making progress on reforms as part of the EU accession process and its reconstruction efforts. Institutional reform is a key part of Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction efforts to build back better, ensuring greater transparency and oversight. The UK has been providing technical assistance to key political institutional reforms, including anti-corruption and electoral reform in Ukraine.
Asked by: Anne McLaughlin (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Gambian President Adama Barrow on democratic governance in that country.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The British High Commission in Banjul regularly raises good governance and democracy with the Government of The Gambia. We welcome President Barrow's commitment to passing a new constitution during his tenure. The UK-funded International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance has facilitated peaceful and constructive dialogue between Gambian political, civil society, and religious groups to help progress the constitutional reform process. In association with the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association, the UK also provides legislative support and judiciary training for parliamentarians to build capacity within the judiciary system.
Asked by: Anne McLaughlin (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has provided (a) financial aid and (b) technical support for the implementation of the recommendations of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission in The Gambia.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is providing support for the implementation of a number of recommendations of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission in The Gambia. We have funded the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance to facilitate peaceful and constructive dialogue between Gambian political, civil society, and religious groups to help progress the constitutional reform process. In association with the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association, the UK also provides legislative support and judiciary training for parliamentarians to build capacity within the judiciary system. We are also supporting the Gambian Ministry of Justice to set up a special prosecutors office to ensure victims of Jammeh era crimes have access to justice.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their response to Lord Blencathra’s report on electoral reform in Belarus, adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 21 April 2021.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is appalled by the brutal and ongoing repression that the Lukashenko regime conducts against its own people. We have already applied wide-ranging sanctions to Belarus in response to the regime's continued human rights violations since the 2020 elections. We will continue to put pressure on Lukashenko's regime publicly and privately to offer Belarusians the free and democratic society they deserve. The UK values the work of the Parliamentary Assembly to the Council of Europe as well as our UK delegation, in producing reports which promote these issues. We welcomed the adoption of these reports at the Committee of Minsters.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their response to the Council of Europe report on the observation of the 2023 presidential election in Montenegro.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK welcomes the Council of Europe's (CoE) Report on the Presidential elections in Montenegro. Election monitoring is a vital tool for promoting and encouraging democracy. The UK contributed to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) observer mission to Montenegro's Presidential elections. We also supported a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) which reported irregularities and broadcast an early results forecast, contributing to the integrity of the election. We will provide ongoing support for electoral reform analysis. The UK will continue to encourage Montenegro to strengthen electoral practices in line with ODIHR and CoE recommendations.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the state of (a) civil and (b) political rights in Somalia.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK Government assesses that civil and political rights in Somalia are under serious threat. We welcome the Somali government's commitment to political and constitutional reform and urge them to establish an independent human rights commission and progress key legislation. This includes reforming the 2020 Media Law to enable the press to report freely and independently. The UK coordinates with international partners and lobbies the Government on press freedom and the arrests of journalists. We provide training to journalists and security forces on media freedom issues. Somali elections do not always ensure universal suffrage and we are supporting the government to develop a more representative electoral system. The Somali justice system faces significant challenges and traditional dispute resolution methods often fall below international standards. There are reports of arbitrary detention across Somalia.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support international partners facing instability following democratic elections.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Promoting democracy and defending democratic freedoms are fundamental to the UK's international policy. Our Arm's Length Body, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), provides electoral integrity support to countries around the world. WFD has led post-electoral reform work in Somaliland and Zambia and continues to develop practical electoral reform tools for partners to enhance electoral integrity. In Fragile and Conflict Affected States the UK's work targets the drivers of crises. Political transitions can be destabilising and, based on detailed analysis, where risks are high we draw on cross government capabilities to help reduce tension.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the political situation in The Gambia; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK Government judges that the 2021 Presidential elections in The Gambia were free, fair and transparent, and an important milestone for The Gambia's democracy. We welcome President Barrow's commitment to passing a new constitution during his tenure. We are aware of the recent charges of treason against eight soldiers from The Gambia Armed Forces. The UK strongly condemns any attempts to overthrow democratically elected governments. We continue to monitor the situation closely.
The British High Commission in Banjul regularly raises good governance and democracy with the Government of The Gambia. The UK-funded International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance has facilitated peaceful and constructive dialogue between political, civil society, and religious groups to help progress the constitutional reform process. In association with the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association, the UK also provides legislative support and judiciary training for parliamentarians to build capacity within the judiciary system.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his Department's portfolio of major projects, how much public money has been spent on (a) internal staff costs and (b) external consultancy relating to delivery of the projects on (i) Planning Reform and (ii) Electoral Integrity from the outset of each project to the end of October 2022.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
As regards the Planning Reform programme, contracts covering external consultancy are published on Contracts Finder and Digital Marketplace.
The DLUHC spend on external consultancy on the Electoral Integrity Programme, in the time since the Project transferred to DLUHC and October 2022 was £0.
Staff costs are met from within existing departmental budgets and the Department’s workforce management information is published monthly here.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the expected annual spend is of the (a) Building Safety Programme ACM Remediation, (b) Levelling Up Fund, (c) UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, (d) Planning Reform programme, (e) Grenfell Site and Programme, (f) Housing Infrastructure Fund, (g) Building Safety Programme - Non ACM Remediation, (h) Towns Fund, (i) Freeports programme, (j) Electoral Integrity programme in each of the financial years from 2022-23 until the end year of each programme or project, providing resource and capital spending.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The table below sets out the expected annual spend for each of the programmes listed:
Programme |
| Resource Budgets £m by financial year |
| Capital Budgets £m by financial year | ||||
| 22/23 | 23/24 | 24/25 |
| 22/23 | 23/24 | 24/25 | |
Building Safety Programme ACM Remediation |
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 58.6 | 9.4 | 0.0 |
Levelling Up Fund |
| 20.0 | 25.0 | 20.0 |
| 413.0 | 1,213.0 | 1,120.0 |
Planning Reform Programme |
| 10.9 | 50.4 | 69.3 |
| 0.0 | 3.0 | 2.5 |
Grenfell Site Management and Memorial Commission |
| 7.3 | 7.5 | 5.3 |
| 18.7 | 26.6 | 20.0 |
Housing Infrastructure Fund |
| 11.5 | 8.0 | 4.0 |
| 969.1 | 1,206.0 | 943.6 |
Building Safety Programme- Non ACM Remediation |
| 18.1 | 34.8 | 31.9 |
| 839.8 | 945.0 | 1,050.0 |
Towns Fund |
| 38.6 | 31.8 | 21.8 |
| 532.0 | 937.0 | 361.2 |
Freeports |
| 7.3 | 7.2 | 4.9 |
| 68.5 | 93.5 | 51.5 |
Electoral Integrity Programme |
| 16.0 | 40.0 | 40.0 |
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Expected costs for the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre will be published in due course in line with the Government Major Projects Portfolio reporting process.
The future years data covers the remainder of the SR period. These figures are indicative and may be revised as part of the normal business planning process. Several programmes extend beyond 2024/25 into future Spending Reviews and funding for the remaining years will be settled as part of future fiscal events.