Every parliamentary written question tabled by Iain Duncan Smith this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 191 · this parliament
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she has taken with her international counterparts to help ensure the independence of Armenia’s Apostolic Christian Church.
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 November 2025 to Question 89462.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions her Department has had with its international partners and relevant authorities on restrictions on girls’ access to education in Afghanistan.
The UK Government condemns the Taliban's ban on girls' secondary and higher education in Afghanistan. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials consistently raise human rights concerns, including the ban on girls' education, in engagements with the Taliban, including during every visit to Kabul. The UK works closely with international partners to sustain pressure on the Taliban, including through our chairmanship of the G7+ group of countries, our membership of the Afghanistan Coordination Group and engagement through the UN and the Human Rights Council.
How many solar arrays in GB Energy inventory were made in part or in whole using forced labour.
Great British Energy will lead the way in ethical supply chains by engaging with stakeholders to raise standards, explore alternatives to diversify high-risk supply chains, and work internationally to align with leading global partners. As a publicly owned company, Great British Energy is expected to be a first in class example of adherence to the UK’s legislation and guidance on modern slavery, including the Modern Slavery Act 2015, and is actively engaging with partners to raise the bar globally on solar supply chain transparency and accountability. Solar purchasing has been undertaken by Devolved Governments, Other Government Departments, NHS Trusts, and relevant Mayoral Combined Authorities, under clear expectations by GBE that they must comply with UK procurement rules, including requirements under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and Procurement Act 2023, as well as seeking out additional reassurances where necessary.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of Russia sending Ukrainian children to camps in North Korea; and if she will have discussions with her NATO counterparts on demanding the return of those children back to Ukraine.
These reports are highly alarming and would represent a further concerning aspect of the deepening relationship between Russia and North Korea. As the Foreign Secretary said to the House on 15 October, the kidnapping and forcible deportation of almost 20,000 Ukrainian children by Russia is one of the most disturbing aspects of this war, and we will continue to do all we can to support the return of those children, as well as monitoring the latest reports on their whereabouts and treatment.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to take further steps beyond recent sanctions to address human rights abuses linked to Cambodian scam centres, including efforts to secure the release of individuals held in conditions amounting to torture.
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer he was given on 3 November in response to Questions 85061-64, and I would add that we are closely monitoring reports of torture, human trafficking and other abuses in Myanmar-based scam centres, working with partners and international organisations to gather evidence of the scale of the problem, and strengthening law enforcement capacity to detect, investigate, and disrupt online trafficking recruitment and illicit financial flows linked to cyber-enabled fraud. All evidence is kept under review, and further action will be taken when needed.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to her Department's joint press release entitled UK and US take joint action to disrupt major online fraud network, published on 14 October 2025, what steps she is taking to support international efforts to monitor conditions in Cambodian scam centres and assist victims of torture and other abuses.
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer he was given on 3 November in response to Questions 85061-64, and I would add that we are closely monitoring reports of torture, human trafficking and other abuses in Myanmar-based scam centres, working with partners and international organisations to gather evidence of the scale of the problem, and strengthening law enforcement capacity to detect, investigate, and disrupt online trafficking recruitment and illicit financial flows linked to cyber-enabled fraud. All evidence is kept under review, and further action will be taken when needed.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of reports of torture and other serious human rights abuses in scam centres operating in Cambodia; and what steps his Department is taking to press for accountability and the protection of victims.
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer he was given on 3 November in response to Questions 85061-64, and I would add that we are closely monitoring reports of torture, human trafficking and other abuses in Myanmar-based scam centres, working with partners and international organisations to gather evidence of the scale of the problem, and strengthening law enforcement capacity to detect, investigate, and disrupt online trafficking recruitment and illicit financial flows linked to cyber-enabled fraud. All evidence is kept under review, and further action will be taken when needed.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to monitor and prevent the rerouting of assets, including gold reserves, from Cambodia to other jurisdictions following recent sanctions; and whether she is working with international partners to disrupt money laundering linked to cybercrime networks in Cambodia.
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer he was given on 3 November in response to Questions 85061-64, and I would add that we are closely monitoring reports of torture, human trafficking and other abuses in Myanmar-based scam centres, working with partners and international organisations to gather evidence of the scale of the problem, and strengthening law enforcement capacity to detect, investigate, and disrupt online trafficking recruitment and illicit financial flows linked to cyber-enabled fraud. All evidence is kept under review, and further action will be taken when needed.
If she will review the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant and extend it beyond April 2026.
The Plug-in Motorcycle Grant will continue at the same price threshold. The grant will close at the end of the 2025/26 FY or when budgets have been exhausted, whichever comes first.
If she will review the £10,000 price threshold applied to electric motorcycles for the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant.
The Plug-in Motorcycle Grant will continue at the same price threshold. The grant will close at the end of the 2025/26 FY or when budgets have been exhausted, whichever comes first.
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of updating the collection of STATS19 national collision statistics to allow for differentiation between motorcycles and mopeds.
The STATS19 collection already provides a differentiation for motorcycles by engine capacity, including a category for motorcycles under 50cc, with a breakdown as shown in the published statistics in data table RAS0502 available on the gov.uk website (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/reported-road-accidents-vehicles-and-casualties-tables-for-great-britain#vehicles-and-drivers-ras05)
On what evidential basis she decided to include fiscal incentives for electric cars but not for low or zero-emission motorcycles, mopeds, or other L-Category vehicles in the Autumn Budget 2025.
At Budget, Government announced the electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED), which will ensure electric car drivers contribute fairly to using the roads and protect the long-term fiscal sustainability of the country. Alongside this, Government committed to providing £1.3 billion of additional funding for the Electric Car Grant, meaning more motorists can benefit from a discount of up to £3,750, reducing the upfront costs of these vehicles for consumers. The Government's plug-in motorcycle grant is available until the end of financial year 2025/26 or when budgets have been exhausted, whichever comes first.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she last raised the case of Karim Ennarah with her Egyptian counterpart.
The UK regularly raises human rights and civil society issues with the Egyptian authorities. We are aware of Mr Karim Ennarah's case, and our Ambassador in Egypt met Mr Ennarah and his wife in October this year.We are committed to supporting human rights defenders, who play a vital role and should be able to work freely in Egypt, consistent with rights guaranteed under the Egyptian Constitution.
Pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2025 to Question UIN 43405, whether he or Ministers in his Department have visited the Old British Cemetery in Girne, Northern Cyprus; and whether he plans to do so.
Whilst the Ministry of Defence continues to recognise and value the sacrifice of the 371 UK Service personnel who gave their lives during the ‘Cyprus Emergency’, Parliamentary and Ministerial commitments mean there are no plans to visit the memorial at The Old British Cemetery at Girne (Kyrenia). Whilst the cemetery is located in the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is not recognised by this Government, the British High Commission in Nicosia regularly honours those Service personnel who died, including through the annual laying of a wreath at the official Remembrance Day Service at the Nicosia War Cemetery where British soldiers are buried.
Pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2025 to Question 91898, if the MOD produces any drones for non-military purposes with Chinese components.
All drones or Uncrewed Air Systems (UAS) procured as Programmes of Record under Ministry of Defence (MOD) commercial frameworks are deemed for military use, regardless of function. The UK MOD does not operate Chinese-manufactured drones. We review our supply chains regularly to identify and mitigate risk to national security. For drones procured outside frameworks, such as small unit purchases for training, procurement officers must consult the Defence Uncrewed Systems Design Authority for guidance to ensure that all uncrewed systems acquired for the UK military are integrated, interoperable, safe, secure, and provide value for money across the entire defence enterprise.
How many properties or other assets belonging to persons affiliated with ISIS have been seized or frozen under UK Government sanctions since March 2011.
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), part of HM Treasury published in its 2024-2025 Annual Review that £19.3 million in assets across multiple sanctions regimes have been reported as frozen as of September 2024. This is an aggregated total of all entities and individuals listed on the Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets under non specified regimes including the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida regime. OFSI does not hold a comparable figure for 2011.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to her Chinese counterpart on releasing Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri and other pastors and members of Zion Church arrested on 10 October 2025.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to question 75048 on 16 September.
How many (a) properties and (b) other assets belonging to family members of Bashar al-Assad have been (i) seized and (ii) frozen under UK Government sanctions since March 2011.
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), part of HM Treasury published in its 2024-2025 Annual Review that £383 million in assets relating to the Syrian sanctions regime have been reported as frozen as of September 2024. This is an aggregated total of all entities and individuals listed on the Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets. OFSI does not hold a comparable figure for 2011.
Under what legal power the Government seized the property belonging to Rifaat al-Assad in Mayfair, London following his conviction for money laundering and embezzling public funds in France in 2020.
The Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) provides law enforcement agencies with a wide range of powers to freeze, seize and recover criminal assets, such as property.These include restraint orders, property freezing orders, recovery and confiscation orders. Over 250 agencies have had POCA powers extended to them, including the National Crime Agency, police forces, HMRC and the Serious Fraud Office.
Following the seizure of the property belonging to Rifaat al-Assad in Mayfair, London, in 2020 by UK authorities, who is currently the legal owner of that property and who is responsible for managing it.
The Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) provides law enforcement agencies with a wide range of powers to restrain and recover criminal assets, such as property.Restraint orders ensure that suspected criminal property cannot be sold or otherwise disposed of whilst investigations and other proceedings are ongoing. In some circumstances the Court can appoint a receiver to manage the property during proceedings, including potential sale if a confiscation order is subsequently made, the defendant may also need to sell property without the involvement of a receiver as a result of a confiscation order.The Home Office cannot comment on individual cases and questions relating to them should be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agency or prosecutorial body.