Written questions by Dodds.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with other nations over the last six months concerning coordinated action against the Government of Israel’s E1 proposal.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on illegal settlements at the last session of departmental oral questions on 21 April. We continue to be clear with Israel that we oppose the E1 settlement plan.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that her Department’s humanitarian programmes are gender- and age- sensitive and are delivering effectively for women and girls of all ages.

We are strengthening our prioritisation of women and girls across the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) work and have committed that at least 90 per cent of FCDO bilateral Official Development Assistance programmes will contribute to gender equality by 2030, benefiting women and girls of all ages. In humanitarian settings, the UK backs women‑led organisations to help reach those most at risk, and we continue to demand that all UK funded programmes meet robust safeguarding standards.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Strait of Hormuz closure on humanitarian need and access in Sudan.

The UK continues to work with international partners to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. In the 17 April call hosted by the Prime Minister and President Macron of France with 51 countries and international organisations, the humanitarian impact of the Strait's closure was one of the issues discussed. Humanitarian access into and across Sudan itself remains a key barrier to aid delivery, as set out in the GOV.UK announcement issued on 15 April, and linked to below:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-boosts-funding-to-local-responders-to-help-more-than-18-million-people-in-sudans-humanitarian-crisis.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department intends to publish its Women and Girls' Framework.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer provided on 10 March 2026 to Question 117530.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking through the G7 and G20 processes to deliver improvements for women and girls.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer provided on 23 April to Question 128522.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with international counterparts to help minimise disruption to humanitarian operations in Sudan resulting from the Strait of Hormuz closure.

The UK continues to work with international partners to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. In the 17 April call hosted by the Prime Minister and President Macron of France with 51 countries and international organisations, the humanitarian impact of the Strait's closure was one of the issues discussed. Humanitarian access into and across Sudan itself remains a key barrier to aid delivery, as set out in the GOV.UK announcement issued on 15 April, and linked to below:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-boosts-funding-to-local-responders-to-help-more-than-18-million-people-in-sudans-humanitarian-crisis.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what humanitarian support is being provided by her Department to Sudanese refugees currently based outside of Sudan.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the statement provided to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 5 February after her visit to the Sudan-Chad border. Last May, the UK announced £36 million of dedicated funding to support Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad, helping to ease pressure on host communities and deliver food, health, water and protection assistance through trusted partners.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on her policies of Médecins Sans Frontières' report entitled There is something that I want to tell you...: surviving the sexual violence crisis in Darfur, published on 31 March 2026.

I thank the Rt. Hon Member for her consistent and passionate campaigning on this issue. The UK remains determined to tackle the abhorrent levels of violence against women and girls in Sudan, including the widespread use of rape as a weapon of war, and we continue to work with international partners and Non Governmental Organisations to provide support to the victims of that violence, to pursue justice against the perpetrators, and to seek a path to lasting peace and security in Sudan, so that women and girls in that country, and those that have fled to neighbouring countries, can live their lives free from fear.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle transnational repression in the UK but which relates to other countries by definition.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 11 December 2025 in response to Question 97660.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of sexual violence perpetrated by armed actors in Darfur.

I thank the Rt. Hon Member for her consistent and passionate campaigning on this issue. The UK remains determined to tackle the abhorrent levels of violence against women and girls in Sudan, including the widespread use of rape as a weapon of war, and we continue to work with international partners and Non Governmental Organisations to provide support to the victims of that violence, to pursue justice against the perpetrators, and to seek a path to lasting peace and security in Sudan, so that women and girls in that country, and those that have fled to neighbouring countries, can live their lives free from fear.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what definition has her Department used to identify instances of transnational repression.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 11 December 2025 in response to Question 97660.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information is collected by her Department on incidences related to transnational repression.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 11 December 2025 in response to Question 97660.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK/Indonesia Memorandum of Understanding on a Strategic Partnership on Critical Minerals, published on 29 November 2024, what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) the British Embassy in Jakarta have had with the Government of Indonesia on the potential impact of nickel mining in North Maluku on the threat to the survival of the uncontacted Hongana Manyawa indigenous people.

The UK and Indonesia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a Strategic Partnership on Critical Minerals on 29 November 2024. The MoU provides a framework for cooperation on resilient, responsible, and sustainable critical minerals' supply chains. This partnership was further enhanced through the Climate, Nature and Energy Pillar of the Strategic Partnership, launched by the Prime Minister and the President of Indonesia in January, reinforcing both governments' commitment to cooperation on responsible and sustainable critical minerals development.Under this MoU, our Embassy in Jakarta continues to engage Indonesian partners, including the Government, through policy dialogue and technical cooperation to encourage alignment with international standards on responsible mining, including the protection of Indigenous Peoples, like the Hongana Manyawa in North Maluku, and local communities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to publish the Joint Declaration of Intent on reducing deforestation in the Peruvian Amazon signed by Norway, Peru, Germany and the UK in 2026.

The UK will agree a publication plan for the Joint Declaration with our partners from Peru, Germany and Norway, once all formal processes around the declaration have been completed.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials based overseas have had with the governments of countries with uncontacted indigenous peoples on the protection of the rights of those peoples, including Indonesia, India, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela and Brazil.

The UK voted for the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and supports its principles, including respect for the rights, autonomy and protection of all indigenous people - including those living in voluntary isolation.The UK raises the rights of indigenous people through ongoing diplomatic engagement and works bilaterally and through multilateral institutions to encourage states to meet their international human rights commitments, including in countries where uncontacted indigenous people are present.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the report by Survival International entitled Uncontacted Indigenous Peoples: at the edge of survival, published in October 2025; and what diplomatic steps her Department is taking to raise this issue with international counterparts and other stakeholders.

The UK voted for the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and supports its principles, including respect for the rights, autonomy and protection of all indigenous people - including those living in voluntary isolation.The UK raises the rights of indigenous people through ongoing diplomatic engagement and works bilaterally and through multilateral institutions to encourage states to meet their international human rights commitments, including in countries where uncontacted indigenous people are present.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many Sudanese nationals have been awarded Chevening Scholarships for each of the last five years.

I can confirm that 79 Sudanese nationals were awarded Chevening Scholarships in the years 2021-25.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the outcomes from the Chevening Scholarship program for Sudanese nationals.

Ministers and officials continue to meet on a regular basis with a wide range of Sudanese civil society and diaspora groups in the UK and across the region to listen to their concerns, gain their valuable insights, and help to build an inclusive, united approach for transitioning to a civilian-led government once a lasting ceasefire is in place.Most recently, on 9 March, Minister for International Development and Africa, Baroness Chapman, met with a number of NGOs, including diaspora representatives, to discuss how to strengthen humanitarian access and overcome restrictions on the entry of aid, as well as how best to drive forward our work to protect civilians and hold perpetrators to account in Sudan, through the UK-led Coalition for Atrocity Prevention.On 24 February, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls, Baroness Harriet Harman, also hosted an event in Berlin to discuss how to stop Violence Against Women and Girls in Sudan, consulting Sudanese activists and diaspora members, civil society representatives, UK and German policymakers and international partners. The event provided a platform for Sudanese women to inform UK and German thinking ahead of the April International Sudan Conference in Berlin.The policy changes raised by the Rt Hon Member are a matter for the Home Office, along with any assessment of their impact.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the contribution of Sudanese diaspora student activists in atrocity prevention initiatives in Sudan.

Ministers and officials continue to meet on a regular basis with a wide range of Sudanese civil society and diaspora groups in the UK and across the region to listen to their concerns, gain their valuable insights, and help to build an inclusive, united approach for transitioning to a civilian-led government once a lasting ceasefire is in place.Most recently, on 9 March, Minister for International Development and Africa, Baroness Chapman, met with a number of NGOs, including diaspora representatives, to discuss how to strengthen humanitarian access and overcome restrictions on the entry of aid, as well as how best to drive forward our work to protect civilians and hold perpetrators to account in Sudan, through the UK-led Coalition for Atrocity Prevention.On 24 February, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls, Baroness Harriet Harman, also hosted an event in Berlin to discuss how to stop Violence Against Women and Girls in Sudan, consulting Sudanese activists and diaspora members, civil society representatives, UK and German policymakers and international partners. The event provided a platform for Sudanese women to inform UK and German thinking ahead of the April International Sudan Conference in Berlin.The policy changes raised by the Rt Hon Member are a matter for the Home Office, along with any assessment of their impact.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the contribution of Sudanese diaspora student activists in pro-peace initiatives in Sudan.

Ministers and officials continue to meet on a regular basis with a wide range of Sudanese civil society and diaspora groups in the UK and across the region to listen to their concerns, gain their valuable insights, and help to build an inclusive, united approach for transitioning to a civilian-led government once a lasting ceasefire is in place.Most recently, on 9 March, Minister for International Development and Africa, Baroness Chapman, met with a number of NGOs, including diaspora representatives, to discuss how to strengthen humanitarian access and overcome restrictions on the entry of aid, as well as how best to drive forward our work to protect civilians and hold perpetrators to account in Sudan, through the UK-led Coalition for Atrocity Prevention.On 24 February, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls, Baroness Harriet Harman, also hosted an event in Berlin to discuss how to stop Violence Against Women and Girls in Sudan, consulting Sudanese activists and diaspora members, civil society representatives, UK and German policymakers and international partners. The event provided a platform for Sudanese women to inform UK and German thinking ahead of the April International Sudan Conference in Berlin.The policy changes raised by the Rt Hon Member are a matter for the Home Office, along with any assessment of their impact.