Written questions by Dodds.

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.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to promote sexual health 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 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 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 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 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 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 steps his Department is taking to help ensure the education of Sudanese children.

In late 2024, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) assessed that nearly 90 per cent of Sudan's school age children (17 million against a population of 19 million) were no longer in school with armed violence a key driver. We are supporting a range of partners to deliver urgent education services to children in Sudan including UNICEF. In addition, through a contribution to Education Cannot Wait, we are providing safe learning spaces and psychological support to 200,000 vulnerable children in refugee and host communities in Chad, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, Central Africa Republic and Uganda. We are also one of the largest donors to the Global Partnership for Education who are delivering vital support to children across Sudan. The UK is a major donor to the UN-led Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) which provides support to local and national responders, Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs) and a consortium of international non-governmental organisations. These frontline workers are working on education provision across Sudan.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of allegations of (a) femicide and (b) forced disappearances of women in Sudan.

Women and girls in Sudan are exposed to a range of human rights abuses including conflict related sexual violence and femicide as well as the risk of forced disappearance. The recent press release by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on this subject is especially harrowing. The UK has a comprehensive approach to atrocity monitoring and support through humanitarian partners such as Sudan Free of Genital Mutilation programme that allows us to fund support work on protection, prevention and care services for survivors of sexual violence. Those responsible must be held accountable and 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. On 24 April, the Foreign Secretary issued a statement calling for the warring parties to adhere to their commitments under the Jeddah Declaration to protect civilians. This followed the UN Security Council statement, released on 16 April, condemning the escalation of violence and calling for the parties to urgently implement UN Security Council Resolution 2736.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the extent of the use of chemical weapons in the conflict in Sudan.

The Foreign Secretary made clear in his statement on 23 May that any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable. We remain deeply concerned by the US determination that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have used chemical weapons in Sudan. It is imperative that the SAF engages constructively with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in order to facilitate a thorough and impartial investigation. We expect the SAF to abide by its obligations under the Chemical Weapon Convention not to develop, produce, possess, or use chemical weapons.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of trends in the level of adherence to the Murad Code on improving information-gathering from survivors of sexual violence in conflicts within Sudan by (a) NGOs, (b) belligerents and (c) civil society.

Conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan has been, and remains, unacceptably high. Given the frequent internet and communications shutdowns and lack of access to conflict zones, it is particularly challenging to monitor implementation of the Murad Code. As such we are currently unable to provide an assessment of trends in the level of adherence.In 2022, together with Nobel Laureate Nadia Murad and the Institute for Inter­national Criminal Investi­gations (IICI), the UK launched the Murad Code, which sets out minimum standards for gathering information from survivors of conflict-related sexual violence safely and ethically. It is now available in 14 languages, including Arabic. Many non-governmental organisations and civil society actors, including those working in Sudan, have shown commitment to its principles. We continue to promote the Murad Code.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether human rights issues in Kyrgyzstan were discussed at the first meeting of the Kyrgyz-British Strategic Dialogue in February 2025.

I raised human rights issues with my Kyrgyz counterpart during the inaugural UK-Kyrgyz Strategic Dialogue in February 2025. We regularly raise human rights at ministerial level with Kyrgyzstan.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether human rights issues in Kyrgyzstan have been examined within the framework of the Developing Countries Trade Scheme.

The UK Government reserves the right to suspend preferences on particular goods, or to suspend a country from the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) if it finds that they have seriously and systemically breached international conventions in relation to human rights.When considering suspensions, the UK may assess, among other things, the impact on the beneficiary country's economic and development prospects, the impact on the country's most vulnerable people and the effectiveness of a suspension in bringing about change.The UK continues to encourage all states to uphold their international human rights obligations, and hold all those who violate or abuse human rights to account. Our Embassy in Bishkek actively monitors the human rights situation in Kyrgyzstan and ministers have raised concerns regarding human rights and media freedom with the Kyrgyz Government.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of trends in levels of suicide among women impacted by conflict in Sudan.

The human cost of the conflict in Sudan is appalling with the warring parties showing a total disregard for the wellbeing of civilians and women and girls bearing the brunt of the violence. Reports that survivors of sexual violence are said to be increasingly contemplating suicide is an indication of how desperate the context is. The UK is doing all it can to address and respond to such abuses. In February, Lord Collins chaired a UN Security Council Briefing on conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan, emphasising the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities. The UK has also led efforts at the Human Rights Council to establish and renew the mandate for the UN Fact-Finding Mission which is crucial for supporting future accountability efforts in Sudan. On 24 April, the Foreign Secretary issued a statement calling for the warring parties to adhere to their commitments under the Jeddah Declaration to protect civilians. This followed the UN Security Council statement, released on 16 April, condemning the escalation of violence and calling for the parties to urgently implement UN Security Council Resolution 2736.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Kyrgyz counterpart on human rights in Kyrgyzstan.

The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs raised his concerns regarding the conviction of several Kyrgyz journalists during a phone call with his Kyrgyz counterpart in October 2024.Our Embassy in Bishkek closely monitors media freedom and civic space in Kyrgyzstan and raises issues of concern with the Kyrgyz Government. I raised human rights with my Kyrgyz counterparts in February and April 2025, and Lord Collins, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State also raised it in February 2025. The UK made a number of recommendations on human rights during Kyrgyzstan's Universal Periodic Review in the UN Human Rights Council in April.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Kyrgyz counterparts on the dismissal of the Kyrgyz Ombudswoman Atyr Abdrakhmatova in that country.

The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs has not made representations to his Kyrgyz counterparts regarding the dismissal of Kyrgyz Ombudswoman Atyr Abdrakhmatova in May 2023.I raised human rights with my Kyrgyz counterparts in February and April 2025, and Lord Collins, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, also raised it in February 2025. The UK made a number of recommendations on human rights during Kyrgyzstan's Universal Periodic Review in the UN Human Rights Council in April.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his counterparts in Kyrgyzstan on legislation aimed at controlling so-called foreign representatives.

The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs has not made direct representations to his counterparts in Kyrgyzstan regarding the 'Law on Non-Commercial Organisations'.Our Embassy in Bishkek has however raised concerns about the impact of this law with the relevant authorities. The UK also made recommendations about this law during Kyrgyzstan's Universal Period Review in the UN Human Rights Council in April. The UK regularly encourages Kyrgyzstan to continue to allow civil society organisations to operate with independence and without harassment. I underlined the importance of respect for rights and freedoms with my Kyrgyz counterparts in April 2025 and raised human rights more broadly with the Kyrgyz during the inaugural UK-Kyrgyz Strategic Dialogue in February 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has held recent discussions with his G20 counterparts on the humanitarian situation in Sudan.

Sudan is a personal priority for the Foreign Secretary, who chaired the London Sudan Conference on 15 April. The conference was co-hosted by the AU, EU, France and Germany, and all G20 counterparts. It was also attended by G20 members including Canada, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. Discussions at the conference included recognising the urgency of the humanitarian situation, including the impact of refugees on neighbouring states, and how best countries can align and strengthen efforts to get assistance to those who need it most. Delegates also agreed to use their influence with the parties, and urge them to lift all impediments, and guarantee safe, rapid, and unimpeded access throughout Sudan for humanitarian supplies and personnel.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to United Nations World Food Programme press release entitled Tens of millions at risk of extreme hunger and starvation as unprecedented funding crisis spirals, published on 28 March 2025, whether he has had discussions with the World Food Programme on Sudan.

The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is the largest and most severe globally. Tens of millions of people require life-saving aid with almost 640,000 people projected to be experiencing catastrophic famine conditions. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Ministers and officials are in regular communications with representatives from the World Food Programme (WFP). On 10 March, the Minister for Development met the WFP Country Director for Sudan alongside other senior United Nations staff. More recently, WFP staff participated in a UK organised roundtable meeting about the crisis in Sudan as part of preparations for the UK's Sudan London Conference, taking place on 15 April.