Written questions by Ribeiro-Addy.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure funding for education is protected in the planned reduction of ODA.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is a thought-leader in education and we continue to support harnessing educational opportunities for long-term growth and prosperity. We work in partnership with Global South governments to share policy expertise and pioneering education research and evidence to improve foundational learning, strengthen education systems, and improve quality of education particularly for the most marginalised. We are also unlocking additional education finance through mechanisms such as the innovative International Finance Facility for Education.Detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be used are being worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that its development funding in Tanzania is not implicated in the forced evictions of the Maasai people.

The UK works hard to uphold human rights around the world and UK Ministers and officials regularly raise human rights concerns with our international partners, including the Government of Tanzania.We have robust measures in place to ensure our aid spending is strictly monitored, and we work with the Independent Commission for Aid Impact to apply the highest standards to our programmes.Further information about our programmes can be found at Devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Tanzanian counterpart on alleged reports of (a) forced evictions, (b) excessive use of force and (c) arbitrary detention of Maasai people in Tanzania.

The British High Commission in Dar es Salaam continues to meet with stakeholders on this issue, including the Government of Tanzania, Maasai community leaders and civil society representatives, to better understand the challenges faced by all parties. This is a complex and important matter, and we will continue to encourage all involved to engage in meaningful dialogue.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to review the adequacy of revenue raising mechanisms for climate reparations ahead of COP30 in Belem.

Countries in the Global South are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change, and we are committed to partnering with these countries to address the climate and nature crisis and accelerate the clean energy transition.We are committed to...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether a Minister will attend the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in March 2025.

The Government does not believe the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) will bring us closer to a world without nuclear weapons. The UK will not sign, ratify or engage with the Treaty and will not send Observers to the Third Meeting of Sta...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support people leaving Afghanistan on humanitarian grounds.

In the first year after the Taliban takeover, the UK provided £17 million to support partners in Afghanistan's neighbouring countries. This support assisted Afghan migrants and asylum seekers moving across borders, and refugee and host communities in thos...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his department has plans to increase funding for (a) NGOs and (b) human rights defenders operating in Afghanistan who are promoting the human rights of (i) women, (ii

Ministers are reviewing the FCDO's Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget to ensure it delivers on our priorities. We are committed to transparency and will publish ODA allocations for 2024-25. We are planning £161 million in aid this financial year...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will take steps to facilitate the return of Chagossians to Diego Garcia.

Following the agreement reached on 3 October, we will work with Mauritius to restart visits to the islands as soon as possible, including Diego Garcia, for Chagossians. In addition, Mauritius will be free to implement a programme of resettlement on the is...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to help ensure that Chagossians (a) in the UK and (b) globally are consulted before conclusion of a treaty on the transfer of sovereignty of the C

Ministers and officials will continue to regularly engage with members of the Chagossian community on a range of issues, including on the implementation of the agreement reached between the United Kingdom and Mauritius. We recognise the huge importance of...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the treaty on the transfer of sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius will guarantee Chagossians (a) the right to return to the outer islands, (b) restitution

We recognise the importance of the Chagos Archipelago to Chagossians and have worked to ensure the agreement with Mauritius reflects their interests. Under the terms of the agreement, Mauritius will be free to implement a programme of resettlement on the ...