Written questions by Jogee.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many times Ministers in his Department have met with the leadership of the African Union since 5 July 2024.

FCDO Ministers regularly engage with the leadership of the African Union (AU). Lord Collins spoke with the AU Commissioners for Political Affairs and Trade and Industry immediately following his appointment in July. Lord Collins and I both met AU Commissioners in Addis Ababa during visits in August, and Lord Collins subsequently met with AU Commission Chairperson Faki at the UN General Assembly in September. I met with the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment during COP29 in November.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government has taken to help stop the loss of life in Gaza since 19 December 2024.

We have raised protection of civilians and the destruction of health infrastructure repeatedly with the Israeli government, most recently on 3 January. The UK has announced £112 million for the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) so far this financial year, including £41million for UNWRA, providing vital services to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, and to Palestinians across the region.  In July, we announced £5.5m in funding to UK-Med for operating their field hospitals. UK-Med have now provided vital care to over 300,000 Gazans since the start of the conflict.Securing an immediate ceasefire, the safe release of all hostages and urgent action to address the humanitarian crisis remains the UK's top priority.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the (a) Southern African Development Community and (b) African Union on the political situation in Mozambique.

The UK has discussed the political situation in Mozambique with key partners, including the Southern African Development Community and the African Union. The UK and partners continue to support the peaceful resolution of current unrest in Mozambique. Promoting political dialogue is central to our approach, as well as urging all parties to show restraint while respecting the rule of law and human rights. Lord Collins also recently emphasised the importance of de-escalation and an inclusive transition with representatives of the Mozambican government, and will discuss the situation with the Executive Secretary of SADC when visiting Botswana from 14-16 January.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government plans to appoint a Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief.

The Government will champion freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. As the Deputy Prime Minister said in Parliament on 20 November, envoy roles are under Ministerial consideration and will be decided upon in due course. We continue to use the strength of our global diplomatic network, including dedicated staff within the FCDO, to promote and protect FoRB around the world.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the outcomes of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa.

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa focused on building shared resilience in the face of today's global challenges and aligned closely with the UK's Commonwealth priorities: catalysing economic growth, tackling the climate and nature crisis and creating opportunities for future generations. A package of measures to support these priorities was announced at CHOGM, including a new UK Trade Centre of Expertise and Commonwealth Investment Plan of Action, continued UK support to the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub and an improved scholarship offer to empower Commonwealth youth with skills for the future.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the humanitarian situation in Tigray.

UK assistance is helping to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Tigray and has supported over 168,000 people in accessing primary healthcare, supplied micronutrient supplements for 450,000 malnourished children and women, and provided cash transfers to over 138,000 individuals. The UK also co-led a pledging conference in April that secured $610 million from international development partners, including a £100 million contribution from the UK. We continue to monitor humanitarian need and response plans in Tigray through the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). We are also investing in improved data and evidence to enable the humanitarian community to make informed decisions on the humanitarian response.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with CAFOD.

I recently met with members of the Bond network, including CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development), to discuss the Autumn Budget. We value CAFOD's work internationally tackling poverty, humanitarian crises and global environmental challenges. We look forward to working with them in the future as we shape more modern partnerships with civil society.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with members of the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands.

I am in regular dialogue with members of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly (MLAs), and most recently held a video conference with MLAs and the Governor on 18 September. I have also met MLAs visiting the UK in person over recent months, and look forward to further such meetings during the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council in November.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which candidate to be the next Secretary-General of the Commonwealth the UK will support.

The decision on appointing the Commonwealth Secretary-General remains a matter for all members by consensus. The UK looks forward to working with the next Commonwealth Secretary-General.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to appoint an Ambassador to the United States.

The appointment of the next HMA Washington has not been decided. An appointment will be made in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Middle East on the situation in Lebanon.

The Foreign Secretary spoke to Lebanese Prime Minister Mikati on 28 September, expressing deep concern over rising tensions and civilian casualties in Lebanon. They discussed the need for a negotiated solution to restore stability and security across the Blue Line. On 01 October, the Foreign Secretary spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Aragchi, warning against actions that could push the region further towards the brink. The Foreign Secretary also spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Katz on 02 October, and with the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Iraq and Oman on 07 October. On 09 October, the Foreign Secretary visited leaders in Bahrain and Jordan, key regional partners for the UK, where he reiterated the UK's concern over the risk of escalation and miscalculation in the region and again called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many UK citizens were in Lebanon on 1 October 2024.

As of 7 October, 2100 British nationals have registered their presence in Lebanon. Any remaining British nationals who want to leave are urged to register their presence immediately. Based on our contacts so far, we anticipate that only a fraction of those registered want to leave due to their strong ties in the country. The UK has helped over 430 people leave on four UK government charter flights taking British nationals out of Lebanon. Due to reduced demand, no further charter flights are planned, but we will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the World Health Organisation about levels of starvation in Sudan.

The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces has created a humanitarian disaster in Sudan with over 9 million people facing emergency or famine conditions. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is carrying out vital work in Sudan, including the treatment of severely malnourished children. The UK's Official Development Assistance (ODA) this financial year is £97 million, £84 million of which is on humanitarian assistance. This funding is going to partners including key UN agencies such as the World Food Programme (WFP) to provide assorted food commodities to those most in need; and UNICEF to provide life-saving food assistance particularly in hard-to reach areas in Sudan, including nutrition, water and hygiene services for 500,000 children under 5.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of the G20 Common Framework for Debt Treatments on delivering debt relief to lower income countries.

Tackling unsustainable debt is a key development priority for this government. The G20 Common Framework, created in November 2020, brought the Paris Club and G20 together to coordinate debt restructurings for the first time. The Common Framework has delivered agreements in Chad in 2022, and among bilateral creditors and bondholders in both Zambia and Ghana in 2024. However, we acknowledge that the process took too long. We are continuing to work with international partners to strengthen the Common Framework and ensure it delivers for all participating countries.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help tackle violence against women and girls in (a) Uganda and (b) East Africa.

The UK is committed to addressing violence against women and girls both in Africa and elsewhere. A pioneering UK-funded programme that reduced gender-based violence by half is now being scaled up through a new £67 million global investment, including in East Africa. Additionally, the UK is investing £35 million in the Africa-Led Movement to End Female Genital Mutilation programme. The UK is also partnering with the UN to prevent and respond to child marriage, with activities in Uganda.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for (a) his policies and (b) the Commonwealth of the change in political leadership in Gabon on 30 August 2024.

The UK has reassessed its relationship with Gabon following the coup in August 2023. The UK condemns military takeovers and, alongside other Commonwealth member states, welcomed the decision to partially suspend Gabon from the Commonwealth. However, we recognise the progress the transitional government is making on the timeline towards the restoration of civilian rule. The UK is ready to work with the Commonwealth to support Gabon's return to democracy and to uphold Commonwealth values.