Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
What steps is he taking to improve British defence capacity in the Asia-Pacific region.
Answered by James Heappey
We have increased our military presence in the Indo-Pacific, expanding our exercising and training to build capacity of UK and partner forces. We have deployed two Offshore Patrol Vessels and uplifted our Defence Network, whilst maintaining a permanent presence in Singapore, Brunei and the British Indian Ocean Territory. We have also signed a new treaty with Japan to enable increased access to the region.
Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy for Canada was appointed; and how many times they have visited that country since their appointment.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys support the UK Government’s overall strategy to drive economic growth, promote UK trade and encourage inward investment. In addition to visiting their respective markets, Trade Envoys undertake a variety of activities including meeting UK companies, hosting inward delegations, and speaking engagements. Due to travel restrictions arising from the Coronavirus Pandemic, many visits to markets were disrupted and Trade Envoys had to work virtually or through other means, strengthening the relationships to support the Government’s trade and investment agenda.
Trade Envoy | Country | Appointment Date | Number of Visits |
Lord Popat | Uganda | January 2016 | 9 |
Lord Risby | Algeria | November 2012 | 16 |
Lord Sarfraz | Singapore | January 2022 | 2 |
Lord Walney | Tanzania | August 2021 | 3 |
Dame Maria Miller | Canada | May 2022 | 1 |
Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy for Tanzania was appointed; and how many times they have visited that country since their appointment.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys support the UK Government’s overall strategy to drive economic growth, promote UK trade and encourage inward investment. In addition to visiting their respective markets, Trade Envoys undertake a variety of activities including meeting UK companies, hosting inward delegations, and speaking engagements. Due to travel restrictions arising from the Coronavirus Pandemic, many visits to markets were disrupted and Trade Envoys had to work virtually or through other means, strengthening the relationships to support the Government’s trade and investment agenda.
Trade Envoy | Country | Appointment Date | Number of Visits |
Lord Popat | Uganda | January 2016 | 9 |
Lord Risby | Algeria | November 2012 | 16 |
Lord Sarfraz | Singapore | January 2022 | 2 |
Lord Walney | Tanzania | August 2021 | 3 |
Dame Maria Miller | Canada | May 2022 | 1 |
Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy for Singapore was appointed; and how many times they have visited that country since their appointment.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys support the UK Government’s overall strategy to drive economic growth, promote UK trade and encourage inward investment. In addition to visiting their respective markets, Trade Envoys undertake a variety of activities including meeting UK companies, hosting inward delegations, and speaking engagements. Due to travel restrictions arising from the Coronavirus Pandemic, many visits to markets were disrupted and Trade Envoys had to work virtually or through other means, strengthening the relationships to support the Government’s trade and investment agenda.
Trade Envoy | Country | Appointment Date | Number of Visits |
Lord Popat | Uganda | January 2016 | 9 |
Lord Risby | Algeria | November 2012 | 16 |
Lord Sarfraz | Singapore | January 2022 | 2 |
Lord Walney | Tanzania | August 2021 | 3 |
Dame Maria Miller | Canada | May 2022 | 1 |
Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy for Uganda was appointed; and how many times they have visited that country since their appointment.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys support the UK Government’s overall strategy to drive economic growth, promote UK trade and encourage inward investment. In addition to visiting their respective markets, Trade Envoys undertake a variety of activities including meeting UK companies, hosting inward delegations, and speaking engagements. Due to travel restrictions arising from the Coronavirus Pandemic, many visits to markets were disrupted and Trade Envoys had to work virtually or through other means, strengthening the relationships to support the Government’s trade and investment agenda.
Trade Envoy | Country | Appointment Date | Number of Visits |
Lord Popat | Uganda | January 2016 | 9 |
Lord Risby | Algeria | November 2012 | 16 |
Lord Sarfraz | Singapore | January 2022 | 2 |
Lord Walney | Tanzania | August 2021 | 3 |
Dame Maria Miller | Canada | May 2022 | 1 |
Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy for Algeria was appointed; and how many times they have visited that country since their appointment.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys support the UK Government’s overall strategy to drive economic growth, promote UK trade and encourage inward investment. In addition to visiting their respective markets, Trade Envoys undertake a variety of activities including meeting UK companies, hosting inward delegations, and speaking engagements. Due to travel restrictions arising from the Coronavirus Pandemic, many visits to markets were disrupted and Trade Envoys had to work virtually or through other means, strengthening the relationships to support the Government’s trade and investment agenda.
Trade Envoy | Country | Appointment Date | Number of Visits |
Lord Popat | Uganda | January 2016 | 9 |
Lord Risby | Algeria | November 2012 | 16 |
Lord Sarfraz | Singapore | January 2022 | 2 |
Lord Walney | Tanzania | August 2021 | 3 |
Dame Maria Miller | Canada | May 2022 | 1 |
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government which countries the UK has visa free travel arrangements with for British citizens.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
FCDO, who have responsibility for this information, have said that the information this question is requesting can be found in public domain https://visaguide.world/visa-free-countries/uk-passport/
We have included the list for ease:
Albania
American Samoa
Andorra
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Bahamas
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Bermuda
Bolivia
Caribbean Netherlands
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Canada
Cabo Verde
Cayman Islands
Chile
Colombia
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia
Curaçao
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Estonia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French West Indies
Georgia
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guam
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Kazakhstan
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Lesotho
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Malaysia
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Namibia
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niue
North Macedonia
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestine
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Réunion
Romania
San Marino
São Tomé and Príncipe
Senegal
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Gambia
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turks and Caicos Islands
Türkiye
United States Virgin Islands
Ukraine
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Zambia
Eswatin
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK defence attaches are stationed in which Indo-Pacific countries.
Answered by James Heappey
The Department has a resident Defence Attaché in the following 18 Indo-Pacific countries:
Australia | Bangladesh | Brunei | China | Fiji |
India | Indonesia | Japan | Malaysia | Nepal |
New Zealand | Pakistan | Philippines | Republic of Korea | Singapore |
Sri Lanka | Thailand | Vietnam |
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Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department’s publication of government procurement card spending over £500, what items were purchased from (a) KTLondon.com on 21 August 2021, (b) Highball on 14 September 2021 and (c) Shake Swirl on 7 June 2022.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Highball payment was for English wine. There is an expectation that UK diplomatic missions procure and serve British wine whenever possible for official entertainment to boost exports, support and promote UK business overseas and project soft power.
The payment to Shake Swirl was for service and kitchen support staff for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee event at the High Commissioner's Residence in Singapore, for 600 people, including key government, commercial and diplomatic contacts.
The expenditure with KTLondon.com was for the provision of meal items for approximately 250 working on multiple shifts of the UK end response of Operation Pitting, the humanitarian evacuation from Afghanistan, in the FCDO's Crisis Centre. Expenditure for all 3 was subject to normal FCDO controls.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many UK-based staff in his Department have been solely focused on relations with Asia Pacific nations in each year since 2010.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Data on the detail of individual staff roles and responsibilities is not held centrally.
The publication of the Integrated Review in March 2021 affirmed the UK's increased focus and long-term commitment to the Indo-Pacific. The Indo-Pacific tilt is a whole of UK Government effort with staff focused on delivering UK objectives across the region, including to strengthen defence, security and trade partnerships, and to and uphold and promote the international rules based system.
A significant and increasing number of FCDO roles in the UK and across the global network, involve an element of China policy. This shift in focus and resource has been underway for a number of years. The FCDO dedicated an additional £3 million in 2020/21 and a further £3 million in 2022/23 to increase our capability on China, including a significantly expanded China Department and new China-related roles in the overseas network.
In addition, the UK continues to increase focus on the region. We have doubled the number of British High Commissions across the Pacific Island Countries over the past three years. The UK now has six High Commissions in the Pacific including: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu.
The UK also opened the UK Mission to ASEAN in 2019 to strengthen UK-ASEAN engagement. Since achieving ASEAN Dialogue Partner Status, the UK Mission to ASEAN has expanded with further roles planned by March 2023. We have also increased resourcing in a number of key Missions including Canberra, Jakarta, and Singapore. Recruitment is underway for new roles across trade, economics, cyber, media/communications, science and technology.