Written questions by Hamilton.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the speech by the BBC Director General on 14 May 2025.

We have noted the speech given by the BBC Director General on 14 May. The Government is in close touch with the BBC on all issues - we have regular discussions at both senior and official level. The Government highly values the BBC World Service, which provides impartial accurate news to a global audience of 320 million. The Government is providing a funding uplift of £32.6m (31 per cent) for the World Service in FY 2025/26.  It remains the world's most trusted international news service. Any decisions on government funding for the World Service for future years will be made through the ongoing Spending Review process.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether there are provisions in the agreement on the future of the Chagos Islands for the United States government to contribute financially to the maintenance of the Diego Garcia military base.

The deal will be between the UK and Mauritius. The base is an essential part of the UK-US defence relationship, and the US contributes a great deal to the operating cost of the base. Once the treaty is signed it will be put before both Houses for scrutiny before ratification in the usual way. This will include costs.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on promoting education that fosters respect between different faiths and genders.

The UK champions the right to freedom of religion or belief for all through our engagement in multilateral fora and our programme funding. We are committed to empowering women and girls around the world through our international work. The UK seeks to support quality, inclusive, and safe education systems that provide the knowledge and skills children need to thrive. Key to this is inclusive education which fosters respect between genders, which we support through several of our programmes and investments. For example, the UK's Education Quality Improvement Programme in Bangladesh (2021-2027) programme is enabling adolescent girls to stay in school by integrating gender-responsive approaches in national curricula and trialling innovative methods to support girls to remain and learn in schools.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the delivery of freedom of religion or belief work in his Department's (a) diplomatic and (b) development efforts.

The UK is championing the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora - including our position at the United Nations (UN) and Article 18 Alliance - through our important bilateral work, working collaboratively with the Special Envoy for FoRB, David Smith, and our programme funding. This includes the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's (FCDO) designated programme for FoRB-focused projects overseas, the John Bunyan Fund (JBF).The JBF supports a range of projects aimed at protecting and promoting FoRB. The FCDO works to ensure that Official Development Assistance (ODA) is allocated to support those who are most vulnerable and most in need of this assistance irrespective of race, religion, or ethnicity. This includes minority religious or belief communities, who are assessed by our partners when determining those most in need of protection and assistance.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure UK aid supports women facing persecution due to both their faith and gender.

The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. It is our firm opinion that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. We are championing the right to FoRB and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora, our bilateral work, and our programme funding.We are clear, too, that we will work to advance gender equality and empower women and girls through our international action. We focus on those with intersecting forms of disadvantage where the risks are extreme.The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office works to ensure that Official Development Assistance (ODA) is allocated to support those who are most vulnerable and most in need of this assistance irrespective of race, religion, or ethnicity. This includes minority religious or belief communities, who are assessed by our partners when determining those most in need of protection and assistance.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the safety of the Syrian Kurdish population in Northeast Syria.

We are concerned by increased tensions in northern Syria and the impact this may have on civilians and stability in the region. Our priority is de-escalation, and we are in regular contact with both Turkey and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to this end. We are urging all sides to refrain from activity that will lead to further loss of civilian life, or damage to civilian infrastructure, to avoid further destabilisation and civilian suffering in the region. We continue to advocate for an inclusive political transition process that is representative of all Syrians, including Kurdish communities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support mine clearance programmes in Sri Lanka.

The UK has funded landmine clearance programmes that make land safe since 2002. This supports livelihoods and encourages a return to normalcy for citizens in conflict-affected areas of Sri Lanka. Since 2016, our delivery partners at the HALO Trust and Mines Advisory Group have collectively cleared 3,361,647 square metres of land which is now used for agriculture, collection of natural resources, infrastructure, public services and residential purposes. The UK is one of the founding signatories of the Mine Ban Treaty, and these projects demonstrate the UK's continued leadership with others to make Sri Lanka landmine-free.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when the Government plans to ratify the Global Oceans Treaty.

The Government is completely committed to ratification of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement, also known as the Global Oceans Treaty or the High Seas Treaty), which is in line with our determination to reinvigorate the UK's wider international leadership on climate and nature. Work is in hand on the measures needed to implement the detailed and complex provisions of the Agreement before the UK can ratify.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the (a) national unity government and (b) ethnic revolutionary organisations in Myanmar on the delivery of aid to people most in need.

We continue to discuss the humanitarian situation and the delivery of aid in Myanmar with a range of opposition stakeholders, including the National Unity Government (NUG) and a number of Ethnic Resistance Organisations (ERO). Since the coup, the UK has provided more than £150 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance, emergency healthcare and education support, and we continue to support civil society and local communities on the ground. The UK is committed to supporting a plurality of voices in Myanmar, and we are clear that any future settlement for Myanmar must be inclusive and involve a wide range of opposition actors, including EROs and the NUG. The Myanmar military must engage with them and all other opposition groups.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to pages 21-23 of the Peace Brigades International UK report entitled, The Case For Change: Why human rights defenders need a UK law on mandatory due diligence, published in November 2024, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of that report's findings; and if he will bring forward legislative proposals to introduce requirements on companies operating internationally to demonstrate (a) human rights and (b) environmental due diligence.

The UK recognises the essential role that human rights defenders and civil society organisations play in promoting and protecting human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. The UK supports voluntary due diligence approaches taken by UK businesses to respect human rights and the environment across their operations and supply relationships, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. Going forward, the Government will assess the best way to prevent environmental harms and human rights and labour rights abuses in both private and public sector supply chains.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of an extension of a ceasefire between the Colombian government and the Estado Mayor Central group.

The UK supports Colombian efforts to achieve a sustainable and long-lasting peace, including through implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement and support from the UN Verification Mission. We welcome the renewal of the UN's mandate, which included willingness to consider future monitoring and verification of the ceasefire with Estado Mayor Central. Through our role as penholder at the UN Security Council the UK works with the Government, civil society, and international partners to support peace in Colombia. We regularly discuss the peace process with the Colombian Government at the highest levels. The PM met President Petro in the margins of the G20 and Foreign Secretary met Foreign Minister Murillo at COP29 and reiterated the UK's support for peace. Baroness Chapman also reiterated the UK's support for peace in Colombia during her visit to Bogota in November, including during her discussion with Vice Foreign Minister Jorge Rojas.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the new transitional justice legislation in Nepal.

A legitimate and effective transitional justice process in Nepal remains necessary even 18 years after the 2006 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. It will help ensure reconciliation and underpin lasting peace. The UK welcomes Nepal's recent step forward with its new transitional justice legislation. The UK continues to engage with the Government of Nepal, the UN and others on how best to provide constructive support for Nepal's transitional justice efforts that are victim-centric, fair and in-line with international standards. We also continue to work to address the injustices, inequalities and exclusion that sowed the seeds of the civil war.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of transferring] frozen Russian assets held in the UK to Ukraine to support the war effort.

Russia's obligations under international law are clear: it must pay for the damage it has caused to Ukraine. That is why on 22 October the Chancellor announced that we will provide £2.26 billion in additional support to Ukraine, as part of the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) Loans to Ukraine scheme. In line with the Government's commitment to ensure that Russia pays for its illegal invasion of Ukraine, the UK's contribution will be repaid using the extraordinary profits generated on immobilised Russian sovereign assets. We will continue to consider all possible lawful avenues by which Russia can be made to meet its obligations to Ukraine under international law.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department are taking to help reunite Nadia Ayoub McCulloch with her family.

The FCDO are aware of Nadia Ayoub McCulloch's situation and have been in contact with her directly. The FCDO's Consular team have been providing, and continue to provide, support to Nadia at what we recognise will be a distressing time for her, her family and her friends.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a new UN convention on the rights of older persons.

The UK is fully committed to promoting and protecting the rights of all people, including older people. Building stronger legal frameworks at the domestic and international level is key. We were an active participant in the work of the UN's Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing and we welcomed the consensus adoption by the General Assembly in September of its recommendations. The UK seeks to play a constructive role on these issues and we are open to considering further standard-setting, including the possibility of a multilateral instrument to help further address the issues faced by older people.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps at the United Nations Security Council to (a) widen the existing arms embargo on Darfur to cover all of Sudan, (b) enforce the existing arms embargo, and (c) to sanction (i) individuals and (ii) companies that (A) have violated and (B) are violating the arms embargo.

There is a UN Arms Embargo and Sanctions Regime on Darfur, which the UN Security Council (UNSC) renewed in September 2024, which complements a longstanding bilateral UK arms embargo in place for the whole of Sudan. These regimes have been used to constrain the flow of weapons into the country, and individuals and entities who breach the UN arms embargo may be subject to targeted measures as stipulated in resolution 1591. Since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023, the UK has sanctioned five entities linked with the Rapid Support Forces and four entities linked with the Sudanese Armed Forces. We consistently use our position as penholder on Sudan at the UNSC to call on States urgently to refrain from enhancing either side's fighting capability.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of imposing targeted sanctions on (a) people responsible for serious crimes in Sudan in line with those sanctioned by the United States, Canada and the European Union, (b) people identified in the UN Panel of Experts report of January 2024 and (c) commanders and officials obstructing humanitarian assistance.

The use of sanctions is one of the tools the UK employs to respond to ongoing conflict in Sudan. Since the outbreak of the conflict in April 2023, the UK has sanctioned five entities linked with the RSF and four entities linked with the SAF. Six of those sanctions were issued on 12 July 2023 under the UK's Sudan Sanctions (EU Exit) Regulations 2020. The UK announced a package of three further sanctions designations on 15 April 2024. These sanctions froze the assets of three commercial entities linked to each warring party. The UK welcomes the Panel of Experts' report from January. Although we do not speculate on future measures, our sanctions policy is continually under review.  We continue to engage closely with key international partners on Sudan.