Written questions by Law.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will meet with the Seasonal Worker Interest Group to discuss worker welfare on the Seasonal Worker visa.

The Home Office, in collaboration with Defra, is arranging a meeting on seasonal worker welfare issues hosted by the Minister for Farming, Daniel Zeichner, and the Minister for Migration, Seema Malhotra MP, later this month. Invitations have been sent to the Seasonal Worker Interest Group, and other interested parties, for this event, which will provide an opportunity to discuss these matters further.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the regulation of tied-accommodation for seasonal agricultural workers.

Defra, Home Office, and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Ministers and their Officials regularly engage regarding a range of issues, including accommodation standards for seasonal workers. The Government will work collaboratively on this issue, across the relevant departments, to improve the rights and protections for seasonal workers. We are exploring approaches at the national and local authority level and through engagement with the sector itself.

With reference to the Prime Minister’s speech entitled, Prime Minister’s remarks from the plenary session at the first UK-Ireland Summit: 6 March 2025, what steps the Government is taking to work more closely with the EU to (a) boost trade, (b) create jobs and (c) increase economic growth.

The Government is committed to improving the UK’s trade and investment relationship with the EU, by tearing down unnecessary barriers to trade. The Prime Minister and President von der Leyen agreed to identify areas where we can strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit, such as the economy, energy, security and resilience. Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and I are taking this forward ahead of the first UK-EU summit in London on 19 May. The first UK-Ireland Summit saw the announcement of £185.5 million in new Irish investments, and creating 2540 jobs across the country.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help international aid agencies provide (a) humanitarian aid and (b) assistance to Syrian communities within areas occupied by Israeli forces since 8 December 2024.

The UK continues to provide vital support to Syrians in need in Syria and across the region. Since the fall of Assad, we have announced a further £62 million, bringing UK commitments to over £4.3 billion since the start of the conflict. Through the United Nations (UN) and other international Non-Governmental Organisations, we are providing food, healthcare, protection, and other life-saving assistance. We continue to fund UN programmes that support Syrians, including in areas which currently have an Israeli presence. We call on all parties to support humanitarian access and prioritise the protection of civilians, as well as humanitarian workers, in all regions of Syria.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of religious tensions between communities in Syria.

We are deeply concerned about religious tensions between communities in Syria, and the impact this may have for Syria's stability. Reports that large numbers of civilians have been killed in coastal areas in ongoing violence are horrific. In my statement to the House on 10 March, and in the Foreign Secretary's public statement on 9 March, we have been clear that the interim Syrian authorities must ensure the protection of all Syrians and set out a clear path to an inclusive political transition. We will judge them by their actions.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle the promotion of sectarianism in Syria.

The UK is engaging regularly with the interim Syrian authorities to support them in taking steps that will deliver a more stable, free and prosperous future for the Syrian people. In my statement to the House on 10 March, and in the Foreign Secretary's public statement on 9 March, we made clear that the interim authorities have a responsibility to ensure the protection of all Syrian civilians and to make progress towards an inclusive political transition which leads to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government. We will judge them by their actions.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his Department's policy is on the presence of Israeli armed forces in positions within Syria since 8 December 2024.

We continue to call on Israel, and all actors, to uphold their obligations to peace, stability, and security under international law.  We are increasingly concerned by Israel's actions in Syria and are raising these concerns directly with the Israeli authorities. Israel have said their presence in the buffer zone in the Golan Heights will be limited and temporary, and we have been clear that we expect them to adhere to this commitment. We recognise current threats to Israel, Israel's presence in the buffer zone must not become permanent.

What (a) total amount and (b) proportion of the reduction in ODA spending has been directly re-allocated to NATO spending.

The UK will step up to safeguard continental security on an enduring basis by increasing defence investment to 2.5% of GDP by 2027. Our increase in defence spending will be funded by reducing Official Development Assistance (ODA) from 0.5% to 0.3% of GNI. Precise allocations will be determined in the round during the Spending Review.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much of the 0.3% of gross national income to be spent on official development assistance he plans to allocate to humanitarian aid in Gaza.

As with all Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) spend, new allocations provided to humanitarian partners working in Gaza will be announced in the usual way. The UK has announced £129 million for the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) this financial year, providing vital services to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, and to Palestinian refugees across the region. The Prime Minister made clear in the House on 25 February that this Government is proud of the UK's pioneering record on overseas development, and we will continue to play a key humanitarian role in Gaza.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the potential impact of the reduction in ODA spending on international trade.

The Foreign Secretary has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues. Detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments.

If she will make an estimate of the number of people with multiple sclerosis who were placed into the Employment and Support Allowance Support Group due to meeting the descriptor mobilising unaided Activity 1.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, columns 631-634, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the reduction in the level of Official Development Assistance to 0.3% of gross national income on the UK's global reputation for international development.

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security, and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review on the basis of various factors including impact assessments.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether an impact assessment was conducted ahead of the announcement of the reduction in overseas development aid spending.

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security, and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review on the basis of various factors including impact assessments.

If she will make an estimate of the number of people with multiple sclerosis who were placed into the Universal Credit Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity group due to meeting the descriptor mobilising unaided Activity 1.

The specific information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department was consulted on the decision to reduce official development assistance spending by 2027.

The decision to reduce Official Development Assistance (ODA) spending by 2027 was agreed by the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the Chancellor.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has plans to publish an international development strategy on the reduction in official development assistance spending.

The Prime Minister has committed to publishing a single new national security strategy, bringing together all reviews into one document and reflecting the decisions on resource set out on 25 February 2025. This will be published following the Spring Statement in March and ahead of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit in June. Detailed decisions on ODA spending will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the decision to reduce official development assistance spending on future trends in the level of Chinese influence on developing nations.

We are facing a once-in-a-generation moment for the collective security of Europe. This Government is serious about our own defence and bearing our part of the burden for collective defence as part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). As the Prime Minister said in his statement to Parliament on 25 February, we must increase our security and defence spending.While this will be funded through the difficult but necessary reductions to development assistance, this Government remains fully committed to the UK playing a globally significant role on development; it is both in our national interest and in the interest of our partners across the globe.China has made a significant contribution to economic development and growth across the world, and the UK and China have over a decade of constructive engagement on international development, to support delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals. However, we also recognise the potential risks that Chinese overseas investment can present, which is why this Government is co-operating where we can, competing where we need to, and challenging where we must.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, which areas of official development spending does he plan to make reductions in.

The impact on specific programmes will be informed by the ongoing Spending Review and departmental resource allocation processes. Plans will be set out in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, whether the Government has commissioned an impact assessment on the decision to reduce Official Development Assistance to 0.3% of gross national income from 2027.

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security, and official development assistance. Detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review on the basis of various factors including impact assessments.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with projects due to receive funds from the Community Regeneration Fund in Dundee.

Officials from the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government met with stakeholders from across the public, private and voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors, as well as the Scottish Government, as part of developing the Community Regeneration Partnership in partnership with Dundee City Council. Officials continue to work closely with Dundee City Council to deliver the projects identified.