Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the full capability is of the One HMG platform.

The One HMG Platform provides overseas offices, residential accommodation and services, such as transport and security, that enable His Majesty's Government to achieve its international objectives whilst providing value for money. The aim is that operations overseas should be co-located wherever possible. A Memorandum of Understanding has been agreed between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the 35 other Government Departments, Arms-Length Bodies and Devolved Governments that operate on the Platform, allowing a physical presence at 280 posts around the world.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to page 11 of the National Security Strategy 2025, CP 1338, published on 24 June 2025, what diplomatic steps she has taken with her South Korean counterpart to help shape International norms.

The Government is delivering this objective through both multilateral fora, including the World Trade Organisation and United Nations, and through bilateral engagement with a range of global partners, including Canada. The Foreign Secretary regularly speaks to counterparts across the world about trade cooperation and security, to ensure we can deliver for the UK's future.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to page 11 of the National Security Strategy 2025, CP 1338, published on 24 June 2025, what diplomatic steps she has taken with her Canadian counterpart to help shape International norms.

The Government is delivering this objective through both multilateral fora, including the World Trade Organisation and United Nations, and through bilateral engagement with a range of global partners, including Canada. The Foreign Secretary regularly speaks to counterparts across the world about trade cooperation and security, to ensure we can deliver for the UK's future.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to page 11 of the National Security Strategy 2025, CP 1338, published on 24 June 2025, what diplomatic steps she has taken with her Indonesian counterpart to help shape International norms.

The Government is delivering this objective through both multilateral fora, including the World Trade Organisation and United Nations, and through bilateral engagement with a range of global partners, including Canada. The Foreign Secretary regularly speaks to counterparts across the world about trade cooperation and security, to ensure we can deliver for the UK's future.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to page 11 of the National Security Strategy 2025, CP 1338, published on 24 June 2025, what diplomatic steps she has taken with her Indian counterpart to help shape International norms.

The Government is delivering this objective through both multilateral fora, including the World Trade Organisation and United Nations, and through bilateral engagement with a range of global partners, including Canada. The Foreign Secretary regularly speaks to counterparts across the world about trade cooperation and security, to ensure we can deliver for the UK's future.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference with the policy paper entitled UK targets sanctions circumvention and crypto networks exploited by Russia, published on 20 August 2025, what steps she has taken to limit the exchange of cryptocurrency token A7A5.

The UK remains committed to increasing economic pressure on Russia including its financial and energy sectors. This includes carefully targeted sanctions against Russia's attempts to circumvent sanctions and create alternative payment systems, including through its use of cryptocurrencies such as A7A5. The 20 August 2025 package of sanctions targeted crypto networks and financial systems in Kyrgyzstan being exploited by Russia, building on over 2700 existing UK sanctions against Russia. UK sanctions complemented action taken by the United States who announced similar measures targeting the cryptocurrency. Sanctions are a critical instrument of the UK's foreign, national and security policy and are deployed selectively and proportionately to complement other tools as part of a wider strategy to deter Russia from continuing its illegal invasion of Ukraine. We continue to monitor the impact of our sanctions closely and engage with third countries on Russian circumvention and where Russia is attempting to exploit financial networks.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of use of the cryptocurrency token A7A5.

The UK remains committed to increasing economic pressure on Russia including its financial and energy sectors. This includes carefully targeted sanctions against Russia's attempts to circumvent sanctions and create alternative payment systems, including through its use of cryptocurrencies such as A7A5. The 20 August 2025 package of sanctions targeted crypto networks and financial systems in Kyrgyzstan being exploited by Russia, building on over 2700 existing UK sanctions against Russia. UK sanctions complemented action taken by the United States who announced similar measures targeting the cryptocurrency. Sanctions are a critical instrument of the UK's foreign, national and security policy and are deployed selectively and proportionately to complement other tools as part of a wider strategy to deter Russia from continuing its illegal invasion of Ukraine. We continue to monitor the impact of our sanctions closely and engage with third countries on Russian circumvention and where Russia is attempting to exploit financial networks.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department stipulated the release of James Scott Rhys Anderson as one of its demands of President Putin ahead of the summit between President Trump and President Putin on 15 August 2025.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers I gave on 12 September to Question 75426 and on 3 September to Question 69511. We continue to regularly raise Mr Anderson's case with our Ukrainian partners.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she last discussed the imprisonment of James Scott Rhys Anderson with her (a) Ukrainian and (b) Russian counterparts.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers I gave on 12 September to Question 75426 and on 3 September to Question 69511. We continue to regularly raise Mr Anderson's case with our Ukrainian partners.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the imprisonment of James Scott Rhys Anderson by Russia was discussed between the Prime Minister and President Zekenskyy during their meeting in Downing Street on 14 August 2025.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers I gave on 12 September to Question 75426 and on 3 September to Question 69511. We continue to regularly raise Mr Anderson's case with our Ukrainian partners.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to her Department's press notice entitled UK targets sanctions circumvention and crypto networks exploited by Russia, published on 20 August 2025, what estimate she has made of the value of material the Russian military have purchased through the Kyrgyzstan-based OJSC Capital Bank of Central Asia.

The UK remains committed to increasing economic pressure on Russia including its financial and energy sectors. This includes carefully targeted sanctions against Russia's attempts to circumvent sanctions and create alternative payment systems, including through its use of cryptocurrencies such as A7A5. The 20 August 2025 package of sanctions targeted crypto networks and financial systems in Kyrgyzstan being exploited by Russia, building on over 2700 existing UK sanctions against Russia. UK sanctions complemented action taken by the United States who announced similar measures targeting the cryptocurrency. Sanctions are a critical instrument of the UK's foreign, national and security policy and are deployed selectively and proportionately to complement other tools as part of a wider strategy to deter Russia from continuing its illegal invasion of Ukraine. We continue to monitor the impact of our sanctions closely and engage with third countries on Russian circumvention and where Russia is attempting to exploit financial networks.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to her Department's press notice entitled UK targets sanctions circumvention and crypto networks exploited by Russia, published on 20 August 2025, which financial networks used by Russia have been targeted in order to restrict Russian exploitation.

The UK remains committed to increasing economic pressure on Russia including its financial and energy sectors. This includes carefully targeted sanctions against Russia's attempts to circumvent sanctions and create alternative payment systems, including through its use of cryptocurrencies such as A7A5. The 20 August 2025 package of sanctions targeted crypto networks and financial systems in Kyrgyzstan being exploited by Russia, building on over 2700 existing UK sanctions against Russia. UK sanctions complemented action taken by the United States who announced similar measures targeting the cryptocurrency. Sanctions are a critical instrument of the UK's foreign, national and security policy and are deployed selectively and proportionately to complement other tools as part of a wider strategy to deter Russia from continuing its illegal invasion of Ukraine. We continue to monitor the impact of our sanctions closely and engage with third countries on Russian circumvention and where Russia is attempting to exploit financial networks.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to her Department's press release entitled UK targets sanctions circumvention and crypto networks exploited by Russia, published on 20 August 2025. what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of sanctions on Russia’s exploitation of (a) Kyrgyz financial systems and (b) crypto networks.

The UK remains committed to increasing economic pressure on Russia including its financial and energy sectors. This includes carefully targeted sanctions against Russia's attempts to circumvent sanctions and create alternative payment systems, including through its use of cryptocurrencies such as A7A5. The 20 August 2025 package of sanctions targeted crypto networks and financial systems in Kyrgyzstan being exploited by Russia, building on over 2700 existing UK sanctions against Russia. UK sanctions complemented action taken by the United States who announced similar measures targeting the cryptocurrency. Sanctions are a critical instrument of the UK's foreign, national and security policy and are deployed selectively and proportionately to complement other tools as part of a wider strategy to deter Russia from continuing its illegal invasion of Ukraine. We continue to monitor the impact of our sanctions closely and engage with third countries on Russian circumvention and where Russia is attempting to exploit financial networks.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress she has made on the (a) refurbishment and (b) remodelling of the British Embassy Tokyo compound.

The sale of a portion of British Embassy Tokyo's land has been completed. To protect the historic Residence and Chancery, and improve facilities on the Embassy compound, works will take several years to complete. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office continually reviews its global estate to maintain a world-class platform for promoting UK interests and maximising value for British taxpayers' money.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the level of reaction from China to the use of the Taiwan Strait for navigation by HMS Spey in June 2025.

Wherever the Royal Navy operates, it does so in full compliance with international norms and exercises its rights to freedom of navigation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). HMS SPEY navigated the Taiwan Strait in June 2025, and the People's Liberation Army Navy response was assessed as safe and professional.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress has she made on renewing the New START Treaty before its expiration in February 2026.

The New START Treaty is a bilateral agreement between the United States and Russian Federation; any replacement treaty is a matter for the US and Russia. The UK regularly raises issues related to strategic risk reduction, including arms control with the USA and Russia through the expert-level P5 process. Genuine and verifiable strategic arms control among the largest Nuclear Weapons States can be a positive step for global security. However, following Russia's decision to suspend participation in New START verification measures in 2023, future approaches need to be based on concrete, and verifiable actions.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2025 to Question 69511 on James Scott Rhys Anderson, on what dates his Department has raised the issue of James Scott Rhys Anderson with their Ukrainian counterparts.

The UK regularly raises Mr Anderson's case with Ukrainian counterparts. Most recently, the former Foreign Secretary raised the case with Foreign Minister Sybiha on 15 August. The Prime Minister raised the case with President Zelenskyy on 24 July. I raised the case with Deputy Foreign Minister Mishchenko in June. We have been clear to the Russian authorities that Mr Anderson must be treated as a Prisoner of War, in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. We remain in close contact with Mr Anderson's family and are providing consular support.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of deepening (a) commercial and (b) other economic ties between Russia and North Korea.

The UK remains deeply concerned about the implications of the deepening Russia-Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) relationship for both Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security. The rapid expansion of their military, political, and economic cooperation since the start of Russia's illegal war against Ukraine has resulted in ongoing flagrant violations of relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) by both countries. Russia's support to DPRK's defence-industrial base, including the provision of oil and cash, as well as the experience DPRK troops have gained in Russia, allows it to support their weapons programmes and gain valuable military and technical insights. The UK has been clear that the DPRK must end its support for Russia's illegal war in Ukraine and must immediately withdraw its troops.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many days were lost to sickness absence by civil servants in their Department (a) in total and (b) on average per employee between 5 July 2024 and 4 July 2025.

The Cabinet Office publishes an annual report on sickness absence in different government departments and agencies, the most recent edition of which - published in January 2025 - can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-sickness-absence-2024/civil-service-sickness-absence-2024-report.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of HMS Richmond's planned use of the Taiwan Strait in September on UK relations with China.

We do not routinely comment on operational details. Wherever the Royal Navy operates, it does so in full compliance with international laws and norms and exercises its rights to freedom of navigation and overflight provided for by United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).