Written questions by Morton.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on building UK research capacity in neglected tropical diseases.

FCDO ministers speak regularly with ministers across government on all matters related to their portfolios, including global health and building the UK's scientific capacity. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), a Product Development Partnership that develops novel medicines for Neglected Tropical Diseases. DNDi partners with over 40 academic partners in the UK for its vital research. In addition, the FCDO is in the process of finalising an agreement to support a UK academic institution with the development of novel health technologies for Neglected Tropical Diseases.The FCDO also supports UK research capability via our partnership with the Medical Research Council (MRC). This includes research on NTDs led by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine on the design of a community-based intervention for snakebite prevention funded through the FCDO/MRC Concordat.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 22284 on Development Aid: Nutrition, if he will provide a timeline for (a) reviewing and (b) finalising his Department’s approach to N4G 2025.

The UK continues to look forward to the 2025 Nutrition for Growth summit. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials continue to work closely with French counterparts to build momentum in the lead up to the summit and will announce plans for events in Paris in due course in collaboration with French organisers. The UK continues to champion the integration of improved nutrition outcomes alongside successes in other sectors including health, agriculture, humanitarian, and climate, and intends to make commitments in March.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help the British Council become financially self-sufficient.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has provided the British Council with £162.5 million Grant-in-Aid in 2024/25. The British Council's Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for the British Council's financial sustainability. The Government is committed to working with the British Council to ensure its financial sustainability. The FCDO is exploring all options with the British Council and HM Treasury to ensure this.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the British Council (a) funding model and (b) loan repayment terms on the effectiveness of the British Council at promoting and supporting UK soft power.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has provided the British Council with £162.5 million Grant-in-Aid in 2024/25. The British Council's Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for the British Council's financial sustainability. The Government is committed to working with the British Council to ensure its financial sustainability. The FCDO is exploring all options with the British Council and HM Treasury to ensure this.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what funds have been allocated by his Department to support initiatives outlined in the International Women and Girls Strategy 2023–2030.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to putting women and girls at the heart of all we do across our diplomatic and development activity. The Foreign Secretary and I have regular discussions with the Chancellor, including on Official Development Assistance (ODA). The FCDO's ODA programme allocations for 2024/25 will be published shortly. Ministers will consider ODA allocations for 2025/26 over the coming months and will publish them in the Annual Report & Accounts in summer 2025. The second phase of the Spending Review, concluding in late spring 2025, will set departmental ODA budgets for future years, including to support women and girls.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 21997 on Syria: Armed Conflict, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that aid will reach women and girls.

Support to women and girls is at the heart of the UK's policy and programmes in Syria. In the financial year of 2023/24, 53 percent of UK humanitarian programming in Syria has helped provide health, sexual and reproductive health services, education and vocational training to over 690,000 women and girls. UK support delivered through trusted aid organisations on the ground, including United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) and non-governmental organisations - targets those most vulnerable in a crisis, including women and girls, the elderly, and people with disabilities. We continue to call for unhindered access for and facilitation of humanitarian operations across the whole of Syria.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on initiatives outlined in the International Women and Girls Strategy 2023–2030.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to putting women and girls at the heart of all we do across our diplomatic and development activity. The Foreign Secretary and I have regular discussions with the Chancellor, including on Official Development Assistance (ODA). The FCDO's ODA programme allocations for 2024/25 will be published shortly. Ministers will consider ODA allocations for 2025/26 over the coming months and will publish them in the Annual Report & Accounts in summer 2025. The second phase of the Spending Review, concluding in late spring 2025, will set departmental ODA budgets for future years, including to support women and girls.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on restructuring the repayment terms for British Council loans owed to the Government.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is working closely with the British Council and HM Treasury on this issue.The loan was made on commercial terms to ensure compliance with the UK subsidy control regime. The Government remains committed to recovering the loan when the British Council's finances allow.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 22629 on Development Aid: Asylum Hotels, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department to agree a timeline for the (a) reduction and (b) cessation of the use of asylum hotels.

The Government is committed to ensuring asylum costs fall. This includes taking measures to reduce the asylum backlog and end the use of expensive hotels over time, as part of a reduction in overall asylum accommodation costs. We expect these plans to create more space in the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget to spend on our international development priorities overseas. The Home Office will be represented at the first meeting of the re-established Ministerial ODA Board which will discuss in-donor refugee costs.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 22001 on Belarus: Sanctions, what the timescale is for completing the cross-Government review of sanctions enforcement.

I launched the cross-Government review of sanctions at the first Small Ministerial Group on enforcement in October. The review is examining whether we have the right powers, approach, capacity and resourcing on policy, implementation and enforcement, with an urgent focus on strengthening the latter. The objectives are to make our sanctions easier to comply with, increase the deterrent effect of enforcement and maximise the flexibility of our cross-government toolkit. It is being led by the FCDO in collaboration with key sanctions Departments and is expected to conclude in Spring 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 22001 on Belarus: Sanctions, who has been appointed to lead the cross-Government review of sanctions enforcement.

I launched the cross-Government review of sanctions at the first Small Ministerial Group on enforcement in October. The review is examining whether we have the right powers, approach, capacity and resourcing on policy, implementation and enforcement, with an urgent focus on strengthening the latter. The objectives are to make our sanctions easier to comply with, increase the deterrent effect of enforcement and maximise the flexibility of our cross-government toolkit. It is being led by the FCDO in collaboration with key sanctions Departments and is expected to conclude in Spring 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of funding provided by his Department to (a) LAFIYA-UK and (b) other health programmes in Nigeria.

The UK has worked to strengthen the health sector in Nigeria for over two decades, with the current flagship Lafiya programme reaching 40 million people across Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Borno and Yobe states. It does this by firstly strengthening existing health systems; secondly by providing extra resilience in healthcare for particularly vulnerable areas in Northern Nigeria; and finally, by improving access to family planning across Nigeria. All programmes in the health sector in Nigeria are reviewed annually for their effectiveness in line with all FCDO-funded programmes. In its most recent annual review, Lafiya scored an A+ rating.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the UK-Nigeria strategic partnership on future trends in the level of aid distribution in Nigeria.

The Nigeria-UK Strategic Partnership is intended to provide a comprehensive framework for achieving our shared objectives and further strengthening the bilateral relationship. One of the core pillars of the Strategic Partnership is a modernised development partnership. The UK and Nigeria have committed to work together to enhance good governance, reduce poverty and humanitarian need, and support human capital development. Nigeria and the UK are committed to a partnership that encourages long-term and sustainable development by building local institutional capacity and capability to address needs and priorities. To achieve this, the UK will continue to provide Nigeria with Official Development Assistance (ODA).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has plans to publish the outcomes of his Department's consultation on it's Africa policy.

The Foreign Secretary launched a five-month consultation to inform the UK's new approach to the African continent during his visit to Nigeria and South Africa in November. This follows the manifesto commitment to develop a fundamentally transformed partnership that engages with African countries as equals, promotes our economic growth ambitions and supports migration priorities. The new approach will be informed by the consultation and published later this year.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 22001 on Belarus: Sanctions, what the terms of reference are for the cross-Government review of sanctions enforcement.

I launched the cross-Government review of sanctions at the first Small Ministerial Group on enforcement in October. The review is examining whether we have the right powers, approach, capacity and resourcing on policy, implementation and enforcement, with an urgent focus on strengthening the latter. The objectives are to make our sanctions easier to comply with, increase the deterrent effect of enforcement and maximise the flexibility of our cross-government toolkit. It is being led by the FCDO in collaboration with key sanctions Departments and is expected to conclude in Spring 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that women's (a) economic participation and (b) access to education are effectively integrated in the International Women and Girls Strategy 2023–2030.

Ensuring all girls have access to quality education is a core part of the UK's work on gender equality. We deliver bilateral education programmes in 18 countries and are the top bilateral donor to the Global Partnership for Education, which provides grant funding to 74 lower income countries. The UK is committed to women's economic empowerment, including through our flagship Work and Opportunities for Women programme, which aims to improve economic opportunities for women working in global value chains. In October 2024, we announced £7.5 million to the World Bank to support high quality evidence on women's economic empowerment.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 22010 on Sudan: Humanitarian Aid, what estimate he has made of the amount of humanitarian aid being provided by international partners to help those who fled Sudan and are being assisted in the wider region.

The 2024 Sudan Regional Response Plan (RRP), which outlined the financial requirements to provide life-saving aid to refugees and host communities in Sudan's neighbouring countries, sought a total of $1.5 billion but was only 31% funded. The US, EU, and UAE were amongst the Government donors to the RRP in 2024. The 2025 Sudan RRP seeks $1.8 billion with the aim of supporting 5 million people. In November 2024, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office doubled UK aid to £226.5 million. This uplift is funding the UN and NGOs to provide support to over one million people affected by war in Sudan and displaced by the conflict.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to implement the International Women and Girls Strategy 2023–2030.

This Government has been clear that we will work to advance gender equality and empower women and girls through our international action. The previous government launched the International Women and Girls Strategy (2023-2030) in March 2023 to guide the UK's international action. Our focus is now firmly on delivery. In November, we announced a new £27 million programme to tackle online violence against women and girls. In December, the Prime Minister announced £37 million to expand access to sexual and reproductive health and rights through supporting grassroots civil society organisations and movements.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans his Department has to update the International Women and Girls Strategy 2023–2030.

This Government has been clear that we will work to advance gender equality and empower women and girls through our international action. The previous government launched the International Women and Girls Strategy (2023-2030) in March 2023 to guide the UK's international action. Our focus is now firmly on delivery. In November, we announced a new £27 million programme to tackle online violence against women and girls. In December, the Prime Minister announced £37 million to expand access to sexual and reproductive health and rights through supporting grassroots civil society organisations and movements.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to ensure environmental protections are maintained when development occurs on grey belt land.

It is for individual local authorities to plan and make decisions regarding the locations of new development in their areas.The amount of development that occurs in any given Green Belt will depend on local circumstances. Where a local authority proposes to alter its Green Belt boundaries through a Local Plan, the revised draft Plan will be created in consultation with the local community and submitted for rigorous independent examination by planning inspectors prior to its adoption.Similarly, any planning application will be assessed in the light of policies in the adopted Plan, of relevant policy in the National Planning Policy Framework, and of all other factors the decision-makers find relevant to a particular planning case and its location, including the evidenced concerns of local people.We have been clear that development on grey belt must be sustainable and we have introduced new Golden Rules to ensure that development benefits communities and nature. Our reforms to Green Belt policy do not lessen existing policy obligations to protect designated areas and minimise impacts on biodiversity.Transitional arrangements for implementing policies in the revised National Planning Policy Framework are set out in Annex 1 of it.