Written questions by MacDonald.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Poland.

The UK maintains strong and enduring ties with Poland across a broad range of bilateral files. During the Prime Minister's visit to Poland in January he and Polish Prime Minister Tusk announced the start of negotiations for an ambitious UK-Poland Defence and Security Treaty. The Foreign Secretary met with his Polish counterpart on 7 May in Warsaw where they discussed the threat to European security from Russia and our commitment to work together. I attended the Belvedere Forum in Warsaw on 16 June to discuss strengthening cooperation on security, growth, and migration. At the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) held in Italy on 10-11 July we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Poland on collaboration in support of Ukraine's recovery.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Denmark.

The UK maintains strong and enduring ties with Denmark across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies, and cooperation has deepened further following Denmark's accession to the United Nations Security Council (2025-26). Most recently, the Prime Minister met Prime Minister Frederiksen in Oslo in May at the JEF Leaders' Summit; the Foreign Secretary met Foreign Minister Rasmussen at the NATO Informal in May; and I hosted Danish State Secretary Machon in March. We continue to engage our Danish counterparts regularly at all levels.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Spain.

The UK and Spain have a strong and wide-ranging relationship, particularly on people-to-people, trade, climate and energy, and security. The Foreign Secretary met his counterpart in Brussels on 11 June for Gibraltar negotiations and in the margins of the NATO summit in The Hague on 25 June. He visited Madrid on 31 March to attend Weimar+. The Minister for Development attended the Financing for Development Conference in Seville from 30 June to 1 July. I met with my Spanish counterpart Secretary of State Sampedro in Madrid on 7 May and on 11 June in Brussels. I also visited Spain on 21 February for a meeting on the Gibraltar negotiations and on 17 January for bilateral meetings.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legitimate interest access filters for beneficial ownership registers.

Please refer to my Written Ministerial Statement of 3 July which provides an update and details of next steps.It remains our expectation that the Overseas Territories (OTs) and Crown Dependencies will ultimately implement fully public registers. Where OTs are implementing registers of beneficial ownership accessible to those with legitimate interest, we have set out that we expect access to be granted to a wide range of legitimate users, that registers should enable proactive investigations and should act as a deterrent to those seeking to conceal illicit gains.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with Chagossians living in the UK on self-determination for the people of the Chagos Islands.

The negotiations were between the UK and Mauritius with our priority being to secure the full operation of the base on Diego Garcia. However, we recognise the importance of the islands to Chagossians as well as the different views within the Chagossian community on their future.   We regularly engage with members of the Chagossian community on a range of issues and will continue to do so. Last month, the Foreign Secretary and I met with representatives of the Chagossian community, as part of the Foreign, Commonwealth, Development Office's ongoing engagement with Chagossians around the deal.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Israeli counterparts on reports of Israeli soldiers opening fire on civilians accessing aid distribution centres in Gaza.

We are appalled by repeated reports of civilians being killed or injured while seeking humanitarian aid near distribution points in Gaza. Lives can be saved if Israel lets aid into Gaza immediately, at scale by the UN and non-governmental organisations. Israel must fulfil its obligations under international law to ensure unhindered humanitarian assistance. While we do not comment on the detail of diplomatic discussions, we remain in regular contact with the Government of Israel to urge the protection of civilians and the urgent improvement of humanitarian access. The UK continues to press for accountability under international law and for sustained, unimpeded flow of aid to Gaza, delivered at scale by the UN and humanitarian partners.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what criteria his Department uses to decide when to recognise the state of Palestine.

The UK commitment to a two-state solution is unwavering. We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state at a time that has the most impact in achieving this reality and is most conducive to long-term prospects for peace. We are clear that does not need to be at the end of a process. UK bilateral recognition is the single most important action the UK can take with regard to Palestinian statehood. That is why it is important to get the timing right so that it creates genuine momentum and is not simply a symbolic gesture. We are continuing to engage all partners on advancing a two-state solution and supporting the foundations of Palestinian statehood.Palestinian statehood is the right of the Palestinian people. It is not in the gift of any neighbour and is also essential to the long-term security of Israel. The people of the West Bank and Gaza must be given the political perspective of a credible route to a Palestinian state and a new future. That is why this Government supports a two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people. The Government agrees strongly on the importance of recognition, and that is why we will make sure the timing is right. We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state at a time that has the most impact in achieving this reality and is most conducive to long-term prospects for peace.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to maintain progress towards (a) a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine and (b) the recognition of a Palestinian state by the United Kingdom.

The UK commitment to a two-state solution is unwavering. We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state at a time that has the most impact in achieving this reality and is most conducive to long-term prospects for peace. We are clear that does not need to be at the end of a process. UK bilateral recognition is the single most important action the UK can take with regard to Palestinian statehood. That is why it is important to get the timing right so that it creates genuine momentum and is not simply a symbolic gesture. We are continuing to engage all partners on advancing a two-state solution and supporting the foundations of Palestinian statehood.Palestinian statehood is the right of the Palestinian people. It is not in the gift of any neighbour and is also essential to the long-term security of Israel. The people of the West Bank and Gaza must be given the political perspective of a credible route to a Palestinian state and a new future. That is why this Government supports a two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people. The Government agrees strongly on the importance of recognition, and that is why we will make sure the timing is right. We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state at a time that has the most impact in achieving this reality and is most conducive to long-term prospects for peace.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking with international counterparts to highlight the issue of forced deportations of Ukrainian children.

The UK continually raises the forced deportation of Ukrainian children with international counterparts. We are an active member of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian children, and continue to raise this issue in multilateral fora, including the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the UN and the Human Rights Council. The UK has funded 'Save Ukraine', a non-governmental organisation which helps to return Ukrainian children, and 'Bring Kids Back UA' through The Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine. In March, I met with representatives from both organisations, alongside Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa and senior officials from the Ministry of Justice, to discuss child deportation.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) location of re-education camps for deported Ukrainian children in Russia.

According to the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab, around 8,000 Ukrainian children have been sent to re-education camps in illegally annexed Crimea and mainland Russia. We note, with concern, reports that Ukrainian children have also attended so-called recreation camps in Belarus. We call upon Belarus to ensure that no Ukrainian children are forcibly transferred to, or via, it's territory and upon Russia to return all of Ukraine's children to Ukraine and to their families. In March, I met with representatives from 'Save Ukraine' and 'Bring Kids Back', alongside Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa and senior officials from the Ministry of Justice, to discuss child deportation. We will continue to play our full part in international efforts to reunite these children with their families and to pursue justice for them all.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Scottish Government on their decision to place restrictions of NHS medical equipment being donated to Ukraine.

It is a matter for the Scottish Government to explain why they have placed restrictions on medical aid to Ukraine.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the reduction in ODA spending on the UK's position on the United Nations Security Council.

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 based on various factors including impact assessments.As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the UK will continue to use its seat on the Council to advance our objectives on matters of international peace and security.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his policy is on Saudi Arabia’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The UK does not disclose voting positions on multilateral elections. However, we expect all members elected to the Human Rights Council to uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights.