Written questions by Rosindell.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will set out the proposed changes to business licence legislation within the Turks & Caicos Islands.

I met Premier Misick of the Turks and Caicos Islands at the recent Joint Ministerial Council (JMC). Total trade between the UK and the Overseas Territories is worth around £17 billion annually, supported by tariff-free access to the UK for Overseas Territory exporters. The JMC included sessions with British Expertise International, UK Export Finance and a business engagement and networking event with UK companies. Supporting economic growth and diversification is a key UK Government priority.Business licensing is a devolved matter for the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Turks and Caicos government on investor confidence in the territory.

I met Premier Misick of the Turks and Caicos Islands at the recent Joint Ministerial Council (JMC). Total trade between the UK and the Overseas Territories is worth around £17 billion annually, supported by tariff-free access to the UK for Overseas Territory exporters. The JMC included sessions with British Expertise International, UK Export Finance and a business engagement and networking event with UK companies. Supporting economic growth and diversification is a key UK Government priority.Business licensing is a devolved matter for the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she has made an assessment of the legality of the proposed changes to business licence legislation within the Turks & Caicos Islands.

I met Premier Misick of the Turks and Caicos Islands at the recent Joint Ministerial Council (JMC). Total trade between the UK and the Overseas Territories is worth around £17 billion annually, supported by tariff-free access to the UK for Overseas Territory exporters. The JMC included sessions with British Expertise International, UK Export Finance and a business engagement and networking event with UK companies. Supporting economic growth and diversification is a key UK Government priority.Business licensing is a devolved matter for the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the economic stability and continued growth of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

I met Premier Misick of the Turks and Caicos Islands at the recent Joint Ministerial Council (JMC). Total trade between the UK and the Overseas Territories is worth around £17 billion annually, supported by tariff-free access to the UK for Overseas Territory exporters. The JMC included sessions with British Expertise International, UK Export Finance and a business engagement and networking event with UK companies. Supporting economic growth and diversification is a key UK Government priority.Business licensing is a devolved matter for the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of February 2025 changes to the licencing of real estate brokers within Turks and Caicos; and whether she has recently consulted with industry representatives.

I met Premier Misick of the Turks and Caicos Islands at the recent Joint Ministerial Council (JMC). Total trade between the UK and the Overseas Territories is worth around £17 billion annually, supported by tariff-free access to the UK for Overseas Territory exporters. The JMC included sessions with British Expertise International, UK Export Finance and a business engagement and networking event with UK companies. Supporting economic growth and diversification is a key UK Government priority.Business licensing is a devolved matter for the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Pakistani counterparts concerning the detention of Asif Pervaiz; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to support his release.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 12 June to question 58220.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Iranian counterpart concerning the imprisonment of Christian converts Hossein Mohammadi and Zahra Gholami; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure their release.

Further to the answer I gave on 29 October to Question 83265, we are concerned by the reported cases of Hossein Mohammadi and Zahra Gholami, and we continue to monitor the situation for Christians in Iran.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2025 to Question 86191, what steps her Department has taken to improve the development of health services and specialist medical care in Montserrat.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 November to Question 86192.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department will undertake a review of Montserrat’s emergency medical evacuation arrangements including (a) nighttime capability and (b) the use of pre-evacuation financial liability agreements.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting the Government of Montserrat and Air Safety Support International to scope extending Montserrat's airport operations to night time, including to enable night time medical evacuations. The FCDO has also supported construction of a new air traffic control tower to ensure regulatory compliance, operational readiness and staff safety, due to complete this year.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the level of night time medical evacuation capability in Montserrat, and what steps she is taking to ensure that residents have access to safe and timely emergency medical evacuation comparable to that available in other UK Overseas Territories.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting the Government of Montserrat and Air Safety Support International to scope extending Montserrat's airport operations to night time, including to enable night time medical evacuations. The FCDO has also supported construction of a new air traffic control tower to ensure regulatory compliance, operational readiness and staff safety, due to complete this year.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government will consider providing technical or financial assistance to establish night time air or sea medical evacuation capability in Montserrat.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting the Government of Montserrat and Air Safety Support International to scope extending Montserrat's airport operations to night time, including to enable night time medical evacuations. The FCDO has also supported construction of a new air traffic control tower to ensure regulatory compliance, operational readiness and staff safety, due to complete this year.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to coordinate with allies, including Japan and the United States, to uphold peace and security in the Taiwan Strait.

The UK's longstanding position on Taiwan has not changed. The UK has a clear interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and considers the Taiwan issue one to be settled by people on both sides of the Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion in any context. We support all actions to de-escalate tensions that are not conducive to peace and stability.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to engage with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile.

We welcome the release of political prisoners in September, secured through US diplomatic efforts in close coordination with the UK and other international partners, and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining political prisoners. Our Embassy in Minsk regularly attends trials and engages with the families of political prisoners.We regularly engage with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile.We do not comment on other countries' sanctions. To date, the UK has issued over 200 sanctions in response to human rights violations in Belarus and activities destabilising or threatening to destabilise Ukraine, including through the Government of Belarus' support for Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support the release of political prisoners detained in Belarus.

We welcome the release of political prisoners in September, secured through US diplomatic efforts in close coordination with the UK and other international partners, and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining political prisoners. Our Embassy in Minsk regularly attends trials and engages with the families of political prisoners.We regularly engage with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile.We do not comment on other countries' sanctions. To date, the UK has issued over 200 sanctions in response to human rights violations in Belarus and activities destabilising or threatening to destabilise Ukraine, including through the Government of Belarus' support for Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for her policies of the United States’ recent decision to ease sanctions on Belarus following the release of political prisoners.

We welcome the release of political prisoners in September, secured through US diplomatic efforts in close coordination with the UK and other international partners, and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining political prisoners. Our Embassy in Minsk regularly attends trials and engages with the families of political prisoners.We regularly engage with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile.We do not comment on other countries' sanctions. To date, the UK has issued over 200 sanctions in response to human rights violations in Belarus and activities destabilising or threatening to destabilise Ukraine, including through the Government of Belarus' support for Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what conversations she has had with her counterpart in Bangladesh following the International Crimes Tribunal sentencing of Sheikh Hasina to death.

The Minister of State for International Development visited Bangladesh on 13-14 November, reasserting the strong partnership between our two countries, and emphasising the UK's support for human rights and democracy. The UK Government's policy on the death penalty is clear: we oppose it in all circumstances, as a matter of principle.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the treatment of Christians in North Korea; and what steps the Government is taking to raise freedom of religion or belief with international partners.

The UK remains deeply concerned by unacceptable reports of ongoing, widespread, and systematic human rights violations in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Defending the right to freedom of religion or belief for all is a priority for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and a key strand of our DPRK human rights strategy. The UK regularly raises concerns about the DPRK's human rights violations, including the lack of freedom of religion or belief, both with the DPRK embassy in London and in multilateral fora. On 20 November 2025, the UK co-sponsored the UN General Assembly's Third Committee resolution condemning North Korea's human rights abuses.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her Japanese counterparts concerning the proposed new Embassy of the People's Republic of China.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 19 May 2025 to Question 51656.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the role of China in influencing stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Diplomacy and negotiations are the best way to secure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The Republic of Korea is a valued partner with whom we routinely discuss these important issues.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her South Korean counterpart on issues relating to the prospects for unification on the Korean peninsula.

Diplomacy and negotiations are the best way to secure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The Republic of Korea is a valued partner with whom we routinely discuss these important issues.