Every parliamentary written question tabled by Bell Ribeiro-Addy this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 221–240 of 944 · this parliament
What has been the cost to date of the Astraea nuclear warhead design and production programme.
The UK’s replacement warhead, Astraea, remains in the concept phase. I am withholding details on cost for purpose of safeguarding national security.
If he will list the university departments where his Department is currently funding PhD students under the Nuclear Skills Plan working on projects in support of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise.
The Ministry of Defence is working jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to deliver the Nuclear Skills Plan, a collaboration between defence and civil sectors. Through this plan, an additional 26 PhD students have been funded across the Universities of Manchester, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, Strathclyde, Bangor, Bristol, Cambridge, Imperial College London and The Open University, in support of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of historical UK-linked deforestation and extractive industries on biodiversity loss in the Global South; and whether her Department supports global ecological restoration initiatives.
Global deforestation rates peaked in the 1980s at around 15 million hectares per year, driven by a range of factors, including global demand for agricultural commodities, timber and wood products. Deforestation rates have since declined to around 10 million hectares a year but much more needs to be done to protect forests, which are a vital refuge for biodiversity, support the livelihoods of over one billion people worldwide and are crucial to limiting the damaging effects of climate change.The UK is supporting efforts to restore critical global ecosystems and is on track to deliver £3 billion in International Climate Finance for nature and biodiversity by March 2026. This includes funding to international initiatives such as the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, which aims to restore 30 per cent of degraded ecosystems globally by 2030.
What quantity of plutonium has been recovered from the dismantling of the Mk4A Trident warheads since the start of the dismantlement programme; what proportion has been re-cycled and re-used in new warheads; where is the surplus plutonium currently stored; and what has been the cost to date of the dismantlement programme.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to the hon, Member for Newton Abbott (Martin Wrigley) on 1 September 2025 to Question 70223.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions her Department has had with CARICOM member states regarding the ten-point reparations plan put forward by the CARICOM Reparations Commission.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 10 March 2025 to Question 32987.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions her Department has had with international bodies, including the United Nations, on the issue of reparations for historical injustices.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 10 March 2025 to Question 32987.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to increase support for women and girls in conflict-affected and climate-vulnerable regions.
The UK continues to place women and girls at the heart of our international work, including playing a key role in the global effort to tackle violence against women and girls. We are also continuing to support countries to build resilient and sustainable health systems, and partner with governments to strengthen their own education systems. Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used from 2026/27 to 2028/29 will be announced in due course.
Media and Sport, with reference to the All Party-Parliamentary Group on Afrikan-Reparations's report entitled Laying Ancestors to Rest, published in March 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of banning the (a) sale and (b) public display in UK institutions of African ancestral remains.
The Government is aware of the issues this report raises and, whilst no such assessments have been made, The Museums Minister met separately recently with DHSC to discuss options on the sale of human remains following the Minister for Museums, Heritage and Gambling’s commitment in a Lords debate in March. Under the current framework it is for businesses to decide whether to prohibit sales of human remains, while taking into account provisions in the Human Tissue Act 2004 and their own professional standards. We would however expect those involved to consider the ethical implications of this activity. All human remains should be treated with respect and dignity. DCMS issued Guidance for the Care of Human Remains in Museums in 2005 which covers the curation, care and display of human remains in museums. We are considering how best to update the guidance, which is now 20 years old. Museums are independent of the government and are responsible for decisions relating to the care and management of their collections, including the display of human remains, and publish policies on their approach, based on the legal and ethical framework set out in the DCMS guidance.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions her Department has had with international financial institutions, including the IMF and World Bank, on cancelling or restructuring debt for Global South countries facing economic crises.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 14 July 2025 to Question HL9091.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions her Department has had with the G7 and G20 on the expansion of the Common Framework for Debt Treatments to provide deeper and more timely debt cancellation for highly indebted countries.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 14 July 2025 to Question HL9091.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the feasibility of a UK-supported debt-for-climate swap programme to help low-income countries finance climate resilience projects.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 14 July 2025 to Question HL9091.
Media and Sport, with reference to the All Party-Parliamentary Group on Afrikan-Reparations's report entitled Laying Ancestors to Rest, published in March 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of reviewing the Human Tissue Act 2004 to require the repatriation of human remains over 100 years old.
Museums are independent of the government and are responsible for decisions relating to the care and management of their collections, including the return of human remains, therefore no such assessment has been undertaken. However, DCMS has previously issued Guidance for the Care of Human Remains in Museums which encouraged museums to establish an advisory framework to assist in determining repatriation claims and provided a set of criteria which need to be taken into account in assessing claims. Individual museums publish policies on their approach. We are considering how best to update the guidance, which is now 20 years old.A number of museums, including the Natural History Museum, the Horniman Museum, and the Pitt Rivers Museum, working in close partnership with the communities or countries of origin, have returned human remains. Separately, the Museums Minister met this month with DHSC to discuss broader issues of human remains including those relating to the Human Tissue Act 2004.
Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to take steps with museums and other institutions to repatriate African ancestral remains to their countries of origin.
Museums are independent of the government and so decisions related to their collections are for their trustees to make. However, DCMS has previously issued Guidance for the Care of Human Remains in Museums which encouraged museums to establish an advisory framework to assist in determining repatriation claims and provided a set of criteria which need to be taken into account in assessing claims. Museums publish their own policies under this guidance. We are considering how best to update the guidance, which is now 20 years old. A number of museums, working in close partnership with the communities or countries of origin, have returned human remains to communities or countries in Africa, including the National Army Museum returning locks of hair of Emperor Tewodros II to Ethiopia, and Glasgow University’s Hunterian Museum recently returning ancestral remains of six people to South Africa.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions her Department has had with Commonwealth nations on climate finance to address the impact of climate change on small island developing states.
The UK is a leading player in global efforts to support indigenous communities, and tackle climate change and nature loss, including contributing £40 million to help operationalise the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage in 2025. Our International Climate Finance has helped 137 million people adapt to the effects of climate change, provided 89 million people with improved access to clean energy, and helped to mobilise billions in private investment.We also continue to support initiatives which strengthen climate resilience in small island developing states (SIDS). This includes the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub and Commonwealth Investment Network. These initiatives were discussed at the 2025 Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting on 25 November.On proposals for reparations, I refer the Hon Member to the response provided on 10 March 2025 to Question 32987.
Media and Sport, whether her Department had held discussions with museums and other cultural institutions on the potential merits of engaging with communities on colonial-era acquisitions and the transatlantic slave trade.
Museums in the UK are independent from the government and so decisions on engaging with communities are operational matters for them and their trustees to decide. The Department is in regular contact with our 15 sponsored museums, and as part of this has from time to time had discussions on these issues. The Horniman Museum informed us that it had consulted local communities regarding the Benin Bronzes in its collection, before reaching a decision to transfer legal title to the objects to the Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments. The Department is working closely with National Museums Liverpool on the development and refurbishment of the International Slavery Museum (ISM), which is being co-produced working closely with Liverpool’s communities, and will include a space for a new National Centre for Teaching Black History.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the African Union and CARICOM regarding the role of debt cancellation in broader reparations discussions.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 14 July 2025 to Question HL9091.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the role of UK aid in supporting economic and social initiatives aimed at addressing the legacy of colonial exploitation and enslavement.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 10 March 2025 to Question 32987.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that funding for programmes supporting women’s and girls’ rights, education, and health is maintained in the current and future aid budgets.
The UK continues to place women and girls at the heart of our international work, including playing a key role in the global effort to tackle violence against women and girls. We are also continuing to support countries to build resilient and sustainable health systems, and partner with governments to strengthen their own education systems. Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used from 2026/27 to 2028/29 will be announced in due course.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the UK’s contributions to international climate funds, such as the Loss and Damage Fund, in addressing the environmental harm caused by historical emissions.
The UK is a leading player in global efforts to support indigenous communities, and tackle climate change and nature loss, including contributing £40 million to help operationalise the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage in 2025. Our International Climate Finance has helped 137 million people adapt to the effects of climate change, provided 89 million people with improved access to clean energy, and helped to mobilise billions in private investment.We also continue to support initiatives which strengthen climate resilience in small island developing states (SIDS). This includes the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub and Commonwealth Investment Network. These initiatives were discussed at the 2025 Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting on 25 November.On proposals for reparations, I refer the Hon Member to the response provided on 10 March 2025 to Question 32987.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support Indigenous communities affected by historic UK-linked resource extraction projects.
The UK is a leading player in global efforts to support indigenous communities, and tackle climate change and nature loss, including contributing £40 million to help operationalise the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage in 2025. Our International Climate Finance has helped 137 million people adapt to the effects of climate change, provided 89 million people with improved access to clean energy, and helped to mobilise billions in private investment.We also continue to support initiatives which strengthen climate resilience in small island developing states (SIDS). This includes the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub and Commonwealth Investment Network. These initiatives were discussed at the 2025 Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting on 25 November.On proposals for reparations, I refer the Hon Member to the response provided on 10 March 2025 to Question 32987.