Written questions by Simmonds.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with her Polish counterpart on outstanding cases of children abducted from the UK to Poland.

I recognise the distress of all those affected by international parental child abduction (IPCA). It is an issue this Government takes very seriously. Ministers and officials continue to raise IPCA with the Polish authorities at every appropriate opportunity. Most recently, the Deputy Prime Minister raised IPCA with Polish Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski in January. The Foreign Secretary and I also raised IPCA with our Polish counterparts in October 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with President Abbas on progress towards a two-state solution.

The UK's commitment to a two-state solution is unwavering. The Prime Minister spoke to President Abbas on 29 July to condemn the suffering in Gaza, reiterate that Hamas must play no role in Gaza, and outline the UK's commitment to recognising the State of Palestine before the United Nations General Assembly in September unless Israel changes its course. We are continuing to engage all partners on advancing a two-state solution and supporting the foundations of Palestinian statehood. Our approach to recognition forms part of a wider plan for peace to end the horrific suffering and re-establish a pathway to a Two-State Solution. We aim to create the conditions for a lasting peace in Gaza, as the basis for a wider process to find a long-term political solution in the Middle East. The UK also welcomed Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Mohamad Mustafa to London in April. During the visit, we announced a package of £101 million which included support for governance reforms in the PA and signed a UK-PA MoU on Strategic Cooperation.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 22931 on Beijing: Embassies, what discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on the steps required to secure planning permission and associated consents for the new British Embassy in Beijing.

The Foreign Secretary has met his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on three occasions so far. They have discussed the breadth of priority foreign policy and bilateral issues.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 23888 on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Flags, which flags other than the Union and Ukraine flags have been flown by his Department since 5 July 2024; and what was the estimated cost was of flying those flags.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's flag flying policy is that any additional flags flown on the estate are considered on a case-by-case basis and must have a compelling reason for inclusion in the flag flying schedule. Since 5th July 2024, in addition to the Union and Ukrainian flags, King Charles Street has flown the following flags externally on the roof flag poles: British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Rainbow, International Day of Criminal Justice, Falklands, Tristan da Cunha, Gibraltar, Commonwealth, United Nations, British Indian Ocean Territory, St Andrew's Saltire, Pitcairn Islands, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. All of these flags were held in stock and no cost was associated with flying these flags from 5 July 2024.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Chinese Government on the granting of planning permission for the proposed new Chinese Embassy in London; and on what dates these discussions took place.

The planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and she will make this decision independent from the rest of Government corresponding to her quasi-judicial role. Officials at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office speak regularly with the Chinese Government about a range of issues.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions the Government had with the Chinese Government in 2020 on the works to the Chinese Consulate in Belfast in breach of planning controls in a conservation area; and what subsequent assessment has been made of the implications of the Chinese Government ignoring planning restrictions in relation to the proposed new Chinese Embassy in London.

An appointed independent Planning Inspector will hold a public inquiry into the proposal for the new Chinese Embassy in London, after which the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will make a decision on planning grounds in her quasi-judicial role.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has received representations from the Great Britain-China Centre on the new proposed Chinese Embassy in London.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not received representations from Great Britain-China Centre regarding the Chinese Embassy's planning application. It is not for the FCDO to receive "representations" on this matter. Any representations should have been provided to Tower Hamlets Council or, post call-in, to the planning inspectorate.