Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the implications of the UK-Japan defence agreement are for UK military access in the Indo-Pacific region.
Answered by James Heappey
The Reciprocal Access Agreement will facilitate mutually beneficial defence cooperation between both nations by establishing a legal framework for the conduct of defence cooperation and therefore allow us to increase our military activity in the Indo-Pacific region.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress her Department has made on developing economic relations with the Indo-Pacific region.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
We are putting the UK at the centre of a network of modern relationships in the Indo-Pacific, including through the negotiation and implementation of Free Trade Agreements (such as the UK’s recent accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership). In addition to joining CPTPP, we are breaking down market access barriers for UK businesses which will help to increase exports from UK companies into the Indo-Pacific, and encouraging investment from the Indo-Pacific into the UK that will boost science and technology, clean energy and levelling up objectives. We also introduced the Developing Countries Trading Scheme to provide lower tariffs and simpler rules of origin requirements for exporting to the UK.
Asked by: Elizabeth Truss (Conservative - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of (a) a blockade and (b) an invasion of Taiwan on the economy.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK's longstanding position on Taiwan has not changed. The UK has a clear interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion. The Government is continually working to strengthen the UK's contingency planning across a range of international challenges, including threats to global supply chains. The Integrated Review Refresh outlines clearly and in detail our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific; and sets out how we protect UK interests including our economy and supply chains.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made (1) of the resilience of current human rights protections in India, and (2) how human rights issues may affect current and future strategic and security partnerships with India as part of their “Indo-Pacific Tilt”.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The British High Commission in New Delhi consistently monitors human rights across India. The UK Government has a broad and deep partnership with the Government of India and we discuss all elements of our relationship, including human rights, and raise issues where we have them. Both our countries are committed to transforming defence and security cooperation and to enhancing engagements in support of a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the speech by the Foreign Secretary on 29 June, what assessment they have made of the UK’s future relations with growing regional powers in (1) the Indo-Pacific region, and (2) Latin America.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the Foreign Secretary has set out, the UK is committed to making a long term and sustained effort to revive old friendships and build new ones, reaching far beyond our long-established alliances. This includes increasing the UK's engagement with countries in the Indo-Pacific region and Latin America, strengthening our relationship in areas of mutual interest such as defence, security and trade partnerships, and upholding and promoting the international rules-based system.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he last made a statement calling on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A negotiated peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians leading to a two-state solution means the end to the occupation. The UK remains committed to a two-state solution, resulting in a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian State; based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, with Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states. The FCDO Minister for the Indo-Pacific most recently reaffirmed our support for a two-state solution on 4 July.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton 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 taken recent steps to strengthen (a) security, (b) cultural and (c) trade relations with South Korea through (i) the British Council LINK programme and (ii) other means.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK and the Republic of Korea are close friends. We are both free and open societies with vibrant democracies and a shared commitment to upholding global security, democratic principles and the rule of law. Our bilateral framework spans political, economic, military and scientific fields. We have strengthened international collaboration and knowledge sharing through the British Council LINK programme, connecting mid-career Korean civil servants to the UK public sector. I [Minister for the Indo-Pacific] visited South Korea in May to celebrate 140 years of diplomatic relations and further our dialogue on development and economic security. The UK will continue building upon our close relationship with the Republic of Korea and deepen our cooperation on trade and security challenges.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the AUKUS partnership; and what plans the Government has for participation in that alliance over the next 12 months.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since the launch of the AUKUS defence and security partnership in September 2021, we have announced the optimal pathway under Pillar 1 of the partnership to provide Australia with a nuclear-powered conventionally armed submarine capability. We are also making rapid progress on AUKUS Pillar 2, delivering a suite of advanced capabilities, with the first AUKUS AI and autonomy trial hosted in the UK in April this year. This is just the start of an unprecedented partnership. All three states are committed for the long term and are convinced AUKUS will benefit our own, Indo-Pacific, and global security.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his New Zealand counterpart on defence cooperation in the Pacific region between the UK and New Zealand.
Answered by James Heappey
New Zealand is one of our closest partners in the Indo Pacific region and a staunch supporter of Ukraine. My right hon. Friend speaks regularly to his New Zealand counterpart on a whole range of issues including Pacific security, resilience and defence cooperation between our two countries. They last spoke in Singapore in June 2023.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of Vanuatu’s role in mitigating environmental issues.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Vanuatu is one of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world. The UK supports Vanuatu's efforts in mitigating environment issues such as climate change. The UK worked closely with Vanuatu on its United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution requesting an Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on States' legal obligations on climate change which passed by consensus on 29 March. I [the Minister of State for the Indo-Pacific] discussed climate change with Prime Minister Kalsakau in November 2022 and Foreign Minister Napat in November 2022 and February 2023.