Written questions by Dodds.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support (a) women and (b) political prisoners under threat from the Iranian regime.

We continue to support women and political prisoners in Iran through sustained action alongside international partners in multilateral fora. In the past eight months, the UK was integral to the delivery of two Iran human rights resolutions. The first, adopted by the UN Third Committee in November 2024, condemned Iran's intensified and targeted repression of women and girls, and called on Iran to immediately and unconditionally release persons arbitrarily detained for the exercise of their human rights and fundamental freedoms, including human rights defenders, journalists and all those who remain under detention for taking part in peaceful protests. The second, adopted by the Human Rights Council in April 2025, renewed the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, and renewed and expanded the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission to investigate a wider breadth of violations, and to establish the facts, circumstances and structural causes of such violations, including discrimination on grounds of gender and political views. Our Ambassador to Iran and I continue to raise human rights directly with the Iranian Government.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question HL5327 on Israel and Palestinians: Development Aid and in the context of discussions held in the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the potential impact of the Associations Bill (Amendment—Donation from Foreign State Entity) 2024 on the UK’s overseas development assistance to (a) Israeli and (b) Palestinian (i) humanitarian and (ii) human rights organisations.

We are deeply troubled by the proposed non-governmental organisation (NGO) taxation bill which threatens to undermine the ability of NGOs to operate effectively and continue their essential work in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). We continue to raise these concerns with the Israeli government. Israel must immediately allow the UN and NGOs to safely deliver aid at scale and in line with humanitarian principles.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on the availability of fuel in Gaza for (a) desalination and (b) healthcare services.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. We remain deeply concerned at the lack of fuel supply in Gaza, which puts vital services such as water desalination at risk. On 18 July, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) described the deepening fuel crisis in Gaza, including the impact on solid waste collection and availability of clean water supplies and health services. We highlighted the impact of the lack of fuel on water supplies and hospitals and the critical situation for Gaza's children at a session of the UN Security Council which we co-called on 16 July. The Foreign Secretary raised the importance of ensuring adequate healthcare for Palestinians in a call with Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 22 July. As the Prime Minister stated on 29 July, the UK will recognize the state of Palestine in September unless Israel takes substantive steps to end the crisis, including restarting without delay the supply of humanitarian support to the people of Gaza to end starvation.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to reduce the economic (a) stability and (b) powers of people involved in human rights abuses in Sudan.

The UK condemns human rights violations and abuses committed by the warring parties in Sudan. Since the outbreak of the conflict in 2023, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces. These sanctions were designed to disrupt the financial networks fuelling the war, to press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the UK also supported the imposition of UN sanctions on two RSF generals for their crimes against civilians in November 2024. We will continue to work closely with partners at the UN Security Council to enforce these. UK leadership has been critical to the continued scrutiny of Sudan at the UN Human Rights Council, where we are the leader of the Core Group alongside Germany and Norway. The UK also led lobbying for the renewal of the Fact-Finding Mission mandate in October 2024 to ensure allegations of human rights violations and abuses by all sides are investigated impartially.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the warring parties in Sudan about the protection of civilians.

As part of our diplomatic and political efforts to achieve peace in Sudan, we continue to engage with the warring parties. Senior officials, including the UK Special Representative for Sudan, have travelled to Port Sudan on several occasions in 2025 for talks with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). On 9 April, ahead of the Sudan Conference, the Minister for Africa spoke with Babikir Elamin, Sudanese Chargé d'Affaires in London, and pressed him specifically on humanitarian access to ensure aid can reach those most in need. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials have also spoken with representatives from the Rapid Support Forces on different occasions since the start of the conflict in Sudan in 2023. We have used these exchanges to request that their leadership make every effort to protect civilians.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to (a) the UN and (b) other international bodies on the need for protection of civilians during the Sudan conflict.

We continue to engage actively with the UN and other international actors to push for the protection of civilians in Sudan. On 15 April, the Foreign Secretary hosted the London Sudan conference alongside the African Union (AU) and the EU, as well as France and Germany as co-chairs. There was a broad agreement among participants about the responsibility of parties to the conflict to protect civilians and uphold their obligations under international law and this was reflected in the co-chairs statement which followed the conference. More recently the UK attended the meeting of the Consultative Group on Sudan in Brussels on 26 June and contributed to discussions with the UN Secretary General's Personal Envoy on Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, on his plans to convene proximity talks with the warring parties, including on protection issues. Earlier this year in February, the Minister for Africa spoke with the AU's Special Envoy for the Prevention of Genocide and Atrocities where he highlighted the credible evidence of human rights abuses and violations in Sudan and pressed the AU to continue to draw attention to atrocities in Sudan.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken to sanction people involved in human rights abuses in Sudan.

The UK condemns human rights violations and abuses committed by the warring parties in Sudan. Since the outbreak of the conflict in 2023, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces. These sanctions were designed to disrupt the financial networks fuelling the war, to press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the UK also supported the imposition of UN sanctions on two RSF generals for their crimes against civilians in November 2024. We will continue to work closely with partners at the UN Security Council to enforce these. UK leadership has been critical to the continued scrutiny of Sudan at the UN Human Rights Council, where we are the leader of the Core Group alongside Germany and Norway. The UK also led lobbying for the renewal of the Fact-Finding Mission mandate in October 2024 to ensure allegations of human rights violations and abuses by all sides are investigated impartially.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on the availability of medical-grade baby formula at the El-Tahrir Children's Hospital in Gaza.

We remain gravely concerned by the lack of adequate medical care in Gaza; nearly all Gaza's hospitals are damaged or partly destroyed according to the World Health Organization. Humanitarian workers must be protected and medical and aid workers must be able to do their jobs safely. On 19 May, the UK released a joint donors statement with 26 other signatories on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, calling for a full resumption of aid into Gaza and for Israel to allow the UN and other aid organisations to operate independently. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 22 June to press Israel to restore humanitarian access. UK support has enabled the delivery of 1.3 million items of life-saving medicines, over 70,000 wound care packs and more than 500,000 patient consultations delivered through UK-Med. We have and will continue to press Israel to allow the entry of all necessary medical and nutritional supplies.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Ugandan counterpart on the safety of civilians in South Sudan.

The UK Government has consistently called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of political detainees, and the protection of civilians in our engagement with the Government of South Sudan and other regional partners. On 3 April, the Minister for Africa met with President Museveni and discussed our shared concerns about the escalating tensions in South Sudan. On 8 May, the UK voted in favour of the extension of the mandate of the UN Mission in South Sudan, preserving its key role in the protection of civilians. On 4 June, our Ambassador to South Sudan attended an Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) convened conference to discuss South Sudan, stressing the urgent need for regional partners, including Uganda, to engage with the Government of South Sudan at the highest level, and supported the recommendation for an IGAD Heads of State visit to South Sudan.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the level of recruitment of children into (a) the military and (b) paramilitary groups in (i) Sudan and (ii) South Sudan.

As a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UK is committed to supporting, promoting, and defending the UN Children and Armed Conflict mandate. The UN Secretary General's annual report on Children in Armed Conflict released earlier this month highlights the deteriorating situation globally, with a dramatic escalation in the number of violations in Sudan. We continue to work with partners, including through the UN Security Council, to call on the warring parties in Sudan to fully implement the Jeddah Declaration, which includes a commitment to refrain from recruiting and using children in hostilities.Despite the introduction of a South Sudanese Government action plan on Children in Armed Conflict, all six grave violations against children continue to be carried out: recruitment and use of children; killing and maiming; rape and sexual violence; abduction and attacks on schools and hospitals; and denial of humanitarian access. The UK supported the 8 May renewal of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), which will enable it to continue its critical mandate, including protecting civilians and human rights monitoring.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the South Sudanese government’s use of Fogbow to deliver food supplies in remote areas on (a) UK and (b) other humanitarian aid delivery.

The UK is gravely concerned about the humanitarian situation in South Sudan and is following developments carefully, including Fogbow operations. While the UK welcomes government-led action that responds to needs among all affected people residing in hard-to-reach areas, the UK view is that effective humanitarian action upholds humanitarian principles of neutrality, humanity, impartiality and independence, and ensures that in conflicts, military assets and escorts are only used to deliver aid as a last resort. Consistent adherence to these operating principles among humanitarian actors is key to maintain and enhance humanitarian access, build trust, and protect civilians including humanitarian personnel. Aid operations to the contrary could increase risks for civilians and other international and national humanitarian aid organisations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to his counterpart in South Sudan on the provision of aid supplies to remote regions in advance of disruption resultant from weather conditions.

The UK remains committed to supporting the humanitarian response in South Sudan, allocating £137 million to support the people of South Sudan in financial year 2024/2025. Recently published Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) figures showed over half of the population will experience high levels of acute food insecurity IPC Phase 3 or above between April and July 2025. As with the severe flooding seen in 2024, the UK is working closely with partners to ensure the pre-positioning of aid supplies ahead of the rainy season, ensuring that these supplies are able to reach the most vulnerable. These partners report that they have made strong progress against our shared preparation goals.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) potential implications for his policies of trends in the number of cases of cholera in (i) Khartoum and (ii) other parts of Sudan and (b) effectiveness of aid provided by (A) the UK and (B) other countries in tackling cholera.

Cases of Cholera in Sudan are increasing due to the collapse of health systems and water supply and treatment infrastructure exacerbated by the limited reach of humanitarian agencies and the onset of the rainy season. The outbreak in Khartoum is particularly alarming, with 13,000 recorded cases, with a significant spike since late May. UK support to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund is helping to deliver lifesaving emergency health interventions including cholera vaccines and treatment and prevention activities. We are also advocating for the UN's Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF), which receives UK support, to step-up its Cholera related work. Key to an effective Cholera response is for the warring parties to urgently facilitate the unhindered delivery of aid and to commit to protecting critical infrastructure.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in Sudan on children.

The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan has reported that the use of rape and gang rape is widespread and according to the UN more than 12 million people are now at risk of sexual and gender-based violence across Sudan with women and girls most at risk. The Foreign Secretary has stated that the UK will continue to use all tools available to hold those responsible for atrocities to account. This includes public interventions, senior engagements, Council products and sanctions. We also aim to use the momentum provided by the London Sudan conference to sustain pressure on the warring parties to adhere to their commitments under the Jeddah Declaration. We will push hard for those suspected of using sexual violence as a weapon of war to face justice, including through our position on the Security Council and the Human Rights Council.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in Sudan.

The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan has reported that the use of rape and gang rape is widespread and according to the UN more than 12 million people are now at risk of sexual and gender-based violence across Sudan with women and girls most at risk. The Foreign Secretary has stated that the UK will continue to use all tools available to hold those responsible for atrocities to account. This includes public interventions, senior engagements, Council products and sanctions. We also aim to use the momentum provided by the London Sudan conference to sustain pressure on the warring parties to adhere to their commitments under the Jeddah Declaration. We will push hard for those suspected of using sexual violence as a weapon of war to face justice, including through our position on the Security Council and the Human Rights Council.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans his Department has to engage with the Sudanese diaspora in the UK on securing peace in Sudan.

Sudan is a personal priority for the Foreign Secretary. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Ministers and officials have regularly engaged with members of the Sudanese diaspora since the start of the conflict in April 2023, including during the run up to the 15 April London Sudan Conference. This included a roundtable with representatives of the Sudanese diaspora that the Minister for Africa hosted on 31 March. The FCDO will continue to engage with members of the Sudanese diaspora as part of our ongoing work.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to increase the provision of services to survivors of sexual violence in Sudan.

The UK is a major humanitarian donor to Sudan with £226.5 million provided last financial year (FY) and a further £120 million this FY. Working with a range of humanitarian partners this funding will target over 650,000 people with life-saving aid including support for women and girls that will be delivered through networks of Sudanese responders. Through the Sudan Free of Female Genital Mutilation programme, UK funding will support work on protection, prevention and care services for survivors of sexual violence. Through the Women's Integrated Sexual Health programme, we have also provided sexual and reproductive services to women, girls, persons living with disability and men, with UK aid delivered in camps for internally displaced persons (IPDs) and elsewhere. We have also enhanced our atrocity risk monitoring, including monitoring of conflict-related sexual violence and are working with UN and non governmental organisational partners to provide safe spaces, clinic treatments, dignity kits and psycho-social services for survivors.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) justice and (b) accountability for survivors of sexual violence in Sudan.

The most effective mechanism to support accountability in Sudan is the UN Human Rights Council Fact-Finding Mission (FFM). It was established following a UK-led resolution and its mandate was extended in October 2024 with an increased majority as a direct result of UK-led advocacy. There is also the UK-funded Centre for Information Resilience (CIR), a research body gathering open-source evidence about the conflict in Sudan with a view to supporting future accountability. We provided over £1 million for the CIR's Sudan Witness Project last financial year, with funding continuing this year. The CIR has been able to assist the FFM in verifying reports of violations through its use of digital information. The UK also strongly supports the International Criminal Court's (ICC) active investigation into the situation in Darfur, including allegations of crimes committed since April 2023.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the targeted use of rape against particular ethnicities as a weapon of war in Sudan.

The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan has reported that the use of rape and gang rape is widespread and according to the UN more than 12 million people are now at risk of sexual and gender-based violence across Sudan with women and girls most at risk. The Foreign Secretary has stated that the UK will continue to use all tools available to hold those responsible for atrocities to account. This includes public interventions, senior engagements, Council products and sanctions. We also aim to use the momentum provided by the London Sudan conference to sustain pressure on the warring parties to adhere to their commitments under the Jeddah Declaration. We will push hard for those suspected of using sexual violence as a weapon of war to face justice, including through our position on the Security Council and the Human Rights Council.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has reviewed the UK’s exposure to the business interests of the (a) Rapid Support Forces and (b) Sudanese Armed Forces.

The UK's robust corporate transparency measures, including the Register of Overseas Entities, along with limited trading and investment relationships between the UK and Sudan, safeguard the UK's exposure to such risks. Since the outbreak of the conflict, we have frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces. These sanctions were designed to disrupt their financial networks and press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities.