Written questions by Rosindell.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of healthcare provision on Montserrat.

The UK remains committed to meeting the reasonable assistance needs of Montserrat. Much of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office funding allocated to the Government of Montserrat (£62 million in this financial year alone) is used to support the provision of primary healthcare on island. This includes the construction of Montserrat's new national hospital, as well as delivery of Montserrat's Health Transformation Strategy and when necessary medical evacuations off island.

What assessment he has made of the potential role of UK's coal resources in his future energy policy.

The last coal-fired power plant, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, closed on 30 September 2024. The Government has also announced it will introduce new legislation as soon as possible to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the contribution of gaming machines to the level of pubs’ supplementary income.

The Government recognises the contribution of pubs to the nighttime economy in the UK, as well as the commercial pressures they face.Although the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Gambling Commission do not hold official statistics on the contribution of gaming machines to the level of pubs’ supplementary income, we recognise that gaming machines are an important source of revenue to many pubs across the country.Trade associations representing the pub sector, including the British Beer and Pub Association, UK Hospitality and the British Institute of Innkeeping, recently emphasised the importance of gaming machines in pubs, estimating that 48% of pubs have at least one gaming machine, with the total income from these machines equating to £622m per year.

What steps his Department is taking to allow businesses to (a) engage with and (b) support the process of drafting a free trade agreement with Canada.

Canada is a close ally and valued partner of the UK, with the UK-Canada Trade Continuity Agreement underpinning around £28 billion worth of bilateral trade last year. There are currently no plans to resume FTA negotiations. However, growing bilateral trade remains a shared priority and we have established the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group with the objective of growing bilateral trade, addressing existing market access barriers and building on existing arrangements.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her counterpart in Vietnam on the arrest of Montagnard Pastor Y Nuen Ayun on 8 October 2025; and whether she is taking diplomatic steps to ensure his release.

We raise human rights concerns with the Vietnamese Government, including freedom of religion and belief bilaterally and multilaterally. The Foreign Secretary emphasised the importance of protecting religious freedom with Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung on 30 October, following my own discussions with the Vice Foreign Minister on 13 October. Our new UK-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership includes cooperation on human rights, particularly it notes that the 'UK and Vietnam will cooperate to foster inclusive societies that embrace and provide equal opportunities and respect for the human rights of all people, without discrimination of any kind.' Through the UN Human Rights Council we regularly raise specific cases of concern.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with allies in Latin America to support (a) regional stability and (b) democratic outcomes.

The UK has worked closely with many Latin American partners over recent years to promote shared interests and values, including strong commitments to democracy and the rule of law. We will continue to work closely with allies across the region and promote stability and defend robust democratic outcomes.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the US has had decisions with her Department on US strategic objectives in tackling drug smuggling in (a) Venezuela and (b) the wider Caribbean.

We have extensive discussions with the US on a wide range of shared security objectives, including on counter narcotics but specific operational activities undertaken by the US military in the Caribbean and the Pacific are a matter for the US.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made representations to her (a) Indian and (b) Chinese counterparts on comments by the representatives of Mauritius on the lease of land in the Chagos Archipelago upon the ratification of the 2025 treaty on the British Indian Ocean Territory.

The treaty contains robust provisions to protect the base, including a 24 nautical mile buffer zone around Diego Garcia and a ban on foreign security forces anywhere in the archipelago. Any suggestions that Mauritius has been negotiating a lease on Peros Banhos are false. This was confirmed by the Mauritian Attorney General in a public statement on 20 October 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve (a) diplomatic and (b) development cooperation with Pacific Island nations.

The UK has resident diplomatic missions in six Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and we are also non-resident accredited to six additional PICs. The UK is committed to working with PICs to support their priorities, as set out in the Pacific Islands Forum's 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. The UK is supporting PICs in areas such as regional security, economic resilience and growth and tackling the climate and nature crisis. Examples include: improving and enhancing regional maritime security; strengthening preparedness, response and resilience to humanitarian crises; and investment into PICs through multilateral and other funds to achieve better infrastructure and development outcomes.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has appointed a representative to engage with the Sovereign Order of Malta following the memorandum of understanding signed on 9 October 2024.

Our Ambassador to the Holy See, Christopher Trott, is the Government's primary interlocutor with the Order of Malta. He regularly meets representatives from the Order including in the run-up to Their Majesties the King and Queen's historic State Visit to the Holy See. The Order has also appointed an official representative to the UK, Pasquale Terracciano. Officials from the Foreign, Commowealth and Development Office's Europe Directorate, which has responsibility for the UK's relations with the Holy See, have also met the Order representative since the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) in October 2024.This MoU provides a framework for a modern, pragmatic partnership that champions the exchange of knowledge, expertise and good practice on humanitarian and development issues, without changing our position on the Order's sovereign status. Our missions across the globe have been encouraged to engage in this spirit.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has held discussions with European states that maintain diplomatic relations with the Sovereign Order of Malta as part of its recognition process.

Our Ambassador to the Holy See, Christopher Trott, is the Government's primary interlocutor with the Order of Malta. He regularly meets representatives from the Order including in the run-up to Their Majesties the King and Queen's historic State Visit to the Holy See. The Order has also appointed an official representative to the UK, Pasquale Terracciano. Officials from the Foreign, Commowealth and Development Office's Europe Directorate, which has responsibility for the UK's relations with the Holy See, have also met the Order representative since the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) in October 2024.This MoU provides a framework for a modern, pragmatic partnership that champions the exchange of knowledge, expertise and good practice on humanitarian and development issues, without changing our position on the Order's sovereign status. Our missions across the globe have been encouraged to engage in this spirit.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of tobacco excise in reducing smoking prevalence.

Tobacco duty aims to both raise revenue and reduce harm to public health by discouraging smoking. High duty rates, making tobacco less affordable, are a proven way to reduce smoking prevalence and have helped reduce the percentage of adult smokers in the UK from 26% in 2000 to 11.9% in 2023. As set out in the ONS survey on adult smoking habits 2023. Adult smoking habits in the UK - Office for National Statistics The commitment to a tobacco duty escalator which increases duty at RPI+2% inflation at each Budget was renewed at Autumn Budget 2024 until the end of the current Parliament. A Tax Information and Impact Note was published alongside the Budget setting out the impacts Changes to tobacco duty rates from 30 October 2024 - GOV.UK

When his Department last made an estimate of the United Kingdom’s (a) onshore and (b) offshore coal resource.

Data on oil and gas reserves are published on page 24 of Energy in Brief. Further information about reserves and resources is available from the North Sea Transition Authority. Data on coal resources are published in Table 2.6 of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics. Data for on and offshore resources are not available separately.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to advance formal diplomatic recognition since the signing of the memorandum of understanding with the Sovereign Order of Malta.

Our Ambassador to the Holy See, Christopher Trott, is the Government's primary interlocutor with the Order of Malta. He regularly meets representatives from the Order including in the run-up to Their Majesties the King and Queen's historic State Visit to the Holy See. The Order has also appointed an official representative to the UK, Pasquale Terracciano. Officials from the Foreign, Commowealth and Development Office's Europe Directorate, which has responsibility for the UK's relations with the Holy See, have also met the Order representative since the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) in October 2024.This MoU provides a framework for a modern, pragmatic partnership that champions the exchange of knowledge, expertise and good practice on humanitarian and development issues, without changing our position on the Order's sovereign status. Our missions across the globe have been encouraged to engage in this spirit.

What steps he is taking to restart negotiations for a free trade agreement between the UK and Canada.

There are no plans to resume FTA negotiations, but growing our bilateral trade remains a shared priority, which is why the two Prime Ministers established the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group with the objective of growing bilateral trade, including by addressing existing market access barriers and building on existing arrangements, including digital.

Whether he plans to change the Office for National Statistics’ Annual Population Survey to a mixed-method design.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 27th October is attached.

If he will make an estimate of the United Kingdom’s (a) identified and (b) recoverable coal resource in millions of tonnes.

As of June 2025, the Coal Authority (now the Mining Remediation Authority) estimates that there were 68 million tonnes of economically recoverable coal resources in the United Kingdom. Source: DUKES_2025_Chapter_2.pdf

If he will make an estimate of the volume of (a) identified and (b) recoverable (i) oil, (ii) gas and (iii) coal resources (A) onshore and (B) offshore.

Data on oil and gas reserves are published on page 24 of Energy in Brief. Further information about reserves and resources is available from the North Sea Transition Authority. Data on coal resources are published in Table 2.6 of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics. Data for on and offshore resources are not available separately.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the tobacco duty escalator on inflation.

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is responsible for estimating the impact of Government policies on inflation. The OBR did not include an assessment on the contribution of tobacco excise duty to inflation in either the October 2024 or March 2025 Economic and Fiscal Outlook.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his timeline is for the conclusion of the process of formal diplomatic recognition of the Sovereign Order of Malta.

Our Ambassador to the Holy See, Christopher Trott, is the Government's primary interlocutor with the Order of Malta. He regularly meets representatives from the Order including in the run-up to Their Majesties the King and Queen's historic State Visit to the Holy See. The Order has also appointed an official representative to the UK, Pasquale Terracciano. Officials from the Foreign, Commowealth and Development Office's Europe Directorate, which has responsibility for the UK's relations with the Holy See, have also met the Order representative since the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) in October 2024.This MoU provides a framework for a modern, pragmatic partnership that champions the exchange of knowledge, expertise and good practice on humanitarian and development issues, without changing our position on the Order's sovereign status. Our missions across the globe have been encouraged to engage in this spirit.