Written questions by Rosindell.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government will consider providing technical or financial assistance to establish night time air or sea medical evacuation capability in Montserrat.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting the Government of Montserrat and Air Safety Support International to scope extending Montserrat's airport operations to night time, including to enable night time medical evacuations. The FCDO has also supported construction of a new air traffic control tower to ensure regulatory compliance, operational readiness and staff safety, due to complete this year.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to coordinate with allies, including Japan and the United States, to uphold peace and security in the Taiwan Strait.

The UK's longstanding position on Taiwan has not changed. The UK has a clear interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and considers the Taiwan issue one to be settled by people on both sides of the Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion in any context. We support all actions to de-escalate tensions that are not conducive to peace and stability.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to engage with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile.

We welcome the release of political prisoners in September, secured through US diplomatic efforts in close coordination with the UK and other international partners, and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining political prisoners. Our Embassy in Minsk regularly attends trials and engages with the families of political prisoners.We regularly engage with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile.We do not comment on other countries' sanctions. To date, the UK has issued over 200 sanctions in response to human rights violations in Belarus and activities destabilising or threatening to destabilise Ukraine, including through the Government of Belarus' support for Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support the release of political prisoners detained in Belarus.

We welcome the release of political prisoners in September, secured through US diplomatic efforts in close coordination with the UK and other international partners, and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining political prisoners. Our Embassy in Minsk regularly attends trials and engages with the families of political prisoners.We regularly engage with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile.We do not comment on other countries' sanctions. To date, the UK has issued over 200 sanctions in response to human rights violations in Belarus and activities destabilising or threatening to destabilise Ukraine, including through the Government of Belarus' support for Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her South Korean counterpart on issues relating to the prospects for unification on the Korean peninsula.

Diplomacy and negotiations are the best way to secure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The Republic of Korea is a valued partner with whom we routinely discuss these important issues.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the role of China in influencing stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Diplomacy and negotiations are the best way to secure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The Republic of Korea is a valued partner with whom we routinely discuss these important issues.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the treatment of Christians in North Korea; and what steps the Government is taking to raise freedom of religion or belief with international partners.

The UK remains deeply concerned by unacceptable reports of ongoing, widespread, and systematic human rights violations in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Defending the right to freedom of religion or belief for all is a priority for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and a key strand of our DPRK human rights strategy. The UK regularly raises concerns about the DPRK's human rights violations, including the lack of freedom of religion or belief, both with the DPRK embassy in London and in multilateral fora. On 20 November 2025, the UK co-sponsored the UN General Assembly's Third Committee resolution condemning North Korea's human rights abuses.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her Japanese counterparts concerning the proposed new Embassy of the People's Republic of China.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 19 May 2025 to Question 51656.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what conversations she has had with her counterpart in Bangladesh following the International Crimes Tribunal sentencing of Sheikh Hasina to death.

The Minister of State for International Development visited Bangladesh on 13-14 November, reasserting the strong partnership between our two countries, and emphasising the UK's support for human rights and democracy. The UK Government's policy on the death penalty is clear: we oppose it in all circumstances, as a matter of principle.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for her policies of the United States’ recent decision to ease sanctions on Belarus following the release of political prisoners.

We welcome the release of political prisoners in September, secured through US diplomatic efforts in close coordination with the UK and other international partners, and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining political prisoners. Our Embassy in Minsk regularly attends trials and engages with the families of political prisoners.We regularly engage with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile.We do not comment on other countries' sanctions. To date, the UK has issued over 200 sanctions in response to human rights violations in Belarus and activities destabilising or threatening to destabilise Ukraine, including through the Government of Belarus' support for Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to encourage dialogue between North and South Korea.

Diplomacy and negotiations are the best way to secure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The Republic of Korea is a valued partner with whom we routinely discuss these important issues.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications of her policies concerning the reported murder of four Christians by Islamic State in Borno State on 11 November.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided to question 85661 on 3 November 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 85119 on Malta: Politics and Government, whether she plans to (a) review the sovereign status of the Sovereign Order of Malta and (b) establish formal diplomatic relations with that entity.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 4 November to question 85119.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to introduce differentiated reporting requirements for (a) small-scale and (b) non-commercial marine genetic resource collection projects under the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill.

I refer the Hon Member to the explanatory notes and impact assessments published alongside the Bill, as well as the debates that he has taken part in during its passage to date, where these issues and many others have been addressed. Further guidance about the requirements imposed by the Bill, including in relation to Section 2(3), will be published in due course, and post-legislative evaluation will also take place in the normal way. In terms of pre- and post-collection notification, this will only require one notification per research cruise. Engagement with scientific stakeholders indicates that this is unlikely to be a significant burden, and that differentiated reporting requirements are not required.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what criteria she will use to determine whether projects qualify for reduced waiting periods under section 2(3) of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill.

I refer the Hon Member to the explanatory notes and impact assessments published alongside the Bill, as well as the debates that he has taken part in during its passage to date, where these issues and many others have been addressed. Further guidance about the requirements imposed by the Bill, including in relation to Section 2(3), will be published in due course, and post-legislative evaluation will also take place in the normal way. In terms of pre- and post-collection notification, this will only require one notification per research cruise. Engagement with scientific stakeholders indicates that this is unlikely to be a significant burden, and that differentiated reporting requirements are not required.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what consultation she has undertaken with UK (a) academic and (b) research institutions on the practical implications of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill.

I refer the Hon Member to the explanatory notes and impact assessments published alongside the Bill, as well as the debates that he has taken part in during its passage to date, where these issues and many others have been addressed. Further guidance about the requirements imposed by the Bill, including in relation to Section 2(3), will be published in due course, and post-legislative evaluation will also take place in the normal way. In terms of pre- and post-collection notification, this will only require one notification per research cruise. Engagement with scientific stakeholders indicates that this is unlikely to be a significant burden, and that differentiated reporting requirements are not required.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to publish (a) annual and (b) biennial reports to Parliament on the (i) implementation and (ii) enforcement of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill.

I refer the Hon Member to the explanatory notes and impact assessments published alongside the Bill, as well as the debates that he has taken part in during its passage to date, where these issues and many others have been addressed. Further guidance about the requirements imposed by the Bill, including in relation to Section 2(3), will be published in due course, and post-legislative evaluation will also take place in the normal way. In terms of pre- and post-collection notification, this will only require one notification per research cruise. Engagement with scientific stakeholders indicates that this is unlikely to be a significant burden, and that differentiated reporting requirements are not required.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the seven month minimum waiting period for sample collection on UK-led marine research projects.

Section 2(2) of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Bill requires pre-collection information to be provided to the Secretary of State seven months in advance. This is to ensure that the UK can make a submission to the Clearing-House Mechanism established by the BBNJ Agreement within the timeframe of six months set out in the Agreement. These pre-cruise notification requirements mirror to a large extent the information that researchers are already required to provide as part of an application for consent to conduct research within the territorial sea or Exclusive Economic Zone of a State, including the six-month timeframe.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the recent attacks on the Christian community in Oromia region, Ethiopia; and what steps she is taking to help ensure their protection.

We remain concerned about the situation in Oromia, and its impact on civilians, and note the 4 November statement of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Ethiopia condemning recent attacks on Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Muslim communities across Oromia. We continue to call on all sides to engage in dialogue to address the underlying causes of conflict in the region. Through our Human Rights and Peacebuilding Programme, in Oromia, the UK supports dialogue efforts by local peacemakers, women's groups and the Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia (IRCE). The UK is also supporting the investigative capacity of Ethiopian Human Rights Commission to follow up on reports of violations affecting civilians in Oromia.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations his Department has made to his counterpart in Ukraine on the capture of North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces and their reported desire to defect to South Korea.

The UK strongly condemns North Korea's military support for Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, and we remain deeply concerned about the deepening strategic relationship between Russia and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), which has significant implications for Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security.Decisions regarding the status and future of prisoners of war captured in Ukraine are for the Ukrainian authorities to determine, in consultation with relevant partners and in accordance with applicable legal and humanitarian frameworks.