Written questions by Cordova.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce disability discrimination across the Commonwealth.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has funded disability inclusion activities in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (CDPF) since 2019, and provided around £2 million to support disabled people's organisations in the Commonwealth through the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) between 2021 and 2024. The FCDO, alongside the Disability Unit in the Office for Equal Opportunities, has been an active member of the Expert Working Group developing the Commonwealth Disability Inclusion Action Plan.We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years shortly, but in the interim, we will not speculate on the potential impact of hypothetical funding scenarios on different programmes and countries. The specific funding percentage requested by the Hon Member is not readily available, and could only be calculated and verified at disproportionate cost.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has undertaken any impact assessment ahead of the proposed reduction in financial support in the upcoming financial year to organisations providing disability support globally.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has funded disability inclusion activities in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (CDPF) since 2019, and provided around £2 million to support disabled people's organisations in the Commonwealth through the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) between 2021 and 2024. The FCDO, alongside the Disability Unit in the Office for Equal Opportunities, has been an active member of the Expert Working Group developing the Commonwealth Disability Inclusion Action Plan.We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years shortly, but in the interim, we will not speculate on the potential impact of hypothetical funding scenarios on different programmes and countries. The specific funding percentage requested by the Hon Member is not readily available, and could only be calculated and verified at disproportionate cost.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the UK's level of participation in global disability rights and inclusion activities.

The UK has been a long-standing supporter of disability rights around the world, and our global programmes are supporting disability inclusion in health, education and employment, as well as access to innovative assistive technology.As well as building disability inclusion into the work we are doing across all Foreign Office priorities, the UK is co-chairing the Global Action on Disability Network, which will strengthen international coordination on disability rights and accelerate progress.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, entitled Database of all business enterprises involved in the activities detailed in paragraph 96 of the report of the independent international fact-finding mission to investigate the implications of the Israeli settlements on the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, published on 26 September 2025.

Our clear position is that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law. We are aware of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) database but do not comment on individual businesses.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the number of Israeli strikes on Lebanon since 27 November 2024.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 20 November to Question 91653.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Israeli counterpart on the role of the Israeli Defence Force in allowing adequate aid to enter Gaza.

I refer the Hon. Member to the responses I gave during the Urgent Question debate on Gaza in the House of Commons on 29 October.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of trends in the levels of aid being allowed into Gaza.

I refer the Hon. Member to the responses I gave during the Urgent Question debate on Gaza in the House of Commons on 29 October.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of the torture of Palestinian detainees in Israeli detention.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 6 August 2025 to Question 58600.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking with international partners to end the conflict in Sudan.

The conflict in Sudan, now into its third year, remains a priority for the UK and the Foreign Secretary. In the months following the April London Sudan Conference UK Ministers and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials have been working to sustain momentum and ensure Sudan remains in the spotlight. Our efforts have included joining the EU-convened Consultative Group on Sudan in June, alongside key partners, to progress shared aims on ending the violence and improving humanitarian access. In the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), where the UK is penholder on Sudan, we have consistently called for an end to the fighting, the protection of civilians, and unimpeded humanitarian access. On 13 August, with African partners and Guyana, the UK led a UNSC press statement calling for respect of international law and rejecting moves to form parallel governments, which will only prolong the conflict. We will continue to use all diplomatic levers working in concert with international partners to encourage the warring parties to return to the negotiating table and commit to a meaningful, sustainable ceasefire in Sudan.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to identify potential UK links to the business interests of the (a) Rapid Support Forces and (b) Sudanese Armed Forces.

The UK maintains robust corporate transparency measures, and we monitor this on an ongoing basis. Since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the parties involved in the conflict: five entities linked with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and four entities linked with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). These sanctions were designed to press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. We do not speculate on future designations as doing so would undermine their effectiveness.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support victims of sexual (a) violence and (b) torture in Sudan.

The UK is a major humanitarian donor to Sudan with £120 million in life-saving aid budgeted this financial year in addition to £235 million allocated in 24/25. The UK's funding to Sudan delivers a range of critical support including protection, prevention, and care services to women and girls in response to rising gender-based and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). This year, the UK is also supporting the deployment of a specialist sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) investigator to the UN Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) in Sudan, delivered through our implementing partner UN Women. This contribution ensures expert input on SGBV to strengthen accountability for conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan. At the UN, the UK has led efforts to spotlight CRSV and other atrocities, including ten Security Council press statements and the renewal of the FFM's mandate.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made any (a) formal or (b) informal assessment of the potential risk of genocide in Gaza.

The UK's long-standing policy is that any formal determination as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. It should be decided after consideration of all the evidence available in the context of a credible judicial process.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with the Israeli government on the bombing of the European Hospital in Khan Younis on 13 May 2025.

The recent attacks on the European Hospital in Khan Younis are deeply concerning. As the Foreign Secretary outlined in his statement on the 20th of May, Israel has repeatedly struck hospitals, and these have rendered the European hospital non-functional. In March, the UK, France and Germany called on Israel to do more to prevent harm to medical personnel and premises in the course of their military operations.Amid Israel's expanded military operations, the healthcare system in Gaza is now on the brink of collapse. We remain gravely concerned by the lack of adequate medical care in Gaza as nearly all hospitals are damaged or partly destroyed according to the World Health Organization.My officials and I are in regular dialogue with our Israeli counterparts on the protection of healthcare facilities in Gaza. We will continue to make both public and private representations to the Government of Israel to protect healthcare staff and facilities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March to Question 34309, when he last raised the destruction of (a) schools and (b) higher education facilities in Gaza with his Israeli counterparts.

The Foreign Secretary continues to raise concern at continued Israeli operations in Gaza, including the need for protection of schools and higher education facilities, with his Israeli counterparts. Children's access to education must continue uninterrupted. The UK Government have announced £41 million for United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) this financial year, which is supporting the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and Palestinian refugees in the region. Furthermore, UK support has given 14,000 children access to education materials and welfare support.In East Jerusalem the Israeli order to close schools and the immediate evacuation of the Kalandia Training Centre is deeply worrying. The vital work of UNRWA in ensuring that Palestinians have access to education and healthcare must be protected in Gaza as well as the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March to Question 34309, what steps his Department has taken to promote accountability for attacks on schools in the Occupied Palestinian Territory by (a) Israeli forces and (b) Israeli settlers.

Education is a human right. It expands choices and enables children to live lives that they value. The vital work of the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in ensuring that Palestinians have access to education and healthcare must be protected in Gaza as well as the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Children's access to education must continue uninterrupted. The Foreign Secretary and I have also made clear our concerns about the current Israeli military operations in the West Bank and stressed the need for civilians and civilian infrastructure to be protected. We recognise Israel's security concerns, but it must show restraint and ensure its operations are commensurate to the threat posed. We are also clear that the Israeli government must crack down on settler violence, stop settlement expansion and not annex the West Bank.On 15 October 2024, the Foreign Secretary announced sanctions targeting three illegal settler outposts and four organisations that have supported and sponsored violence against communities in the West Bank. These measures will help bring accountability to those who have supported and perpetrated such heinous abuses of human rights. We continue to keep these issues under review. It would not be appropriate to speculate about any potential future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to mitigate the impact of the destruction of educational and cultural facilities in Gaza.

We are deeply alarmed by the disproportionate impact of the conflict on children in Gaza. Most students have not had access to education since the 7th of October 2023 and at least 88 per cent of school buildings need full or major reconstruction. Education is a priority sector, and we are engaging with partners to ensure children's needs are integrated into Gaza's recovery. Through UK support, over 14,000 children in Gaza now have access to education materials. The destruction of cultural facilities is also highly concerning. We engage regularly with NGOs and civil society, who are best placed to communicate needs and rebuild their communities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterparts on Israeli settler attacks on (a) schools, (b) higher education facilities and (c) cultural institutions in the West Bank.

We remain very concerned at the disproportionate impact of violence on children, including in the West Bank: education is a priority sector. Any destruction of cultural facilities is also highly concerning. We engage regularly with non-governmental organizations and civil society, who are best placed to communicate needs and rebuild their communities. The Foreign Secretary and I have emphasised the importance of stability throughout all the Occupied Territories to our Israeli counterparts. The Foreign Secretary raised Israel's ongoing operation in Jenin and highlighted the risk that this undermines the Palestinian Authority when he spoke to Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 22 January. The Foreign Secretary also noted the need for violent settlers to be held accountable.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he makes of the potential impact of proposed reductions in official development assistance on future trends in the levels of (a) violence against women and girls and (b) preventable deaths among infants in recipient countries.

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security, and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review.The UK has placed empowering women and girls at the centre of our international work. We remain committed to tackling violence against women and girls around the world, and to supporting global efforts to end preventable maternal, child and newborn deaths in line with Sustainable Development Goal targets.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of proposed reductions in official development assistance on future trends in the level of preventable sight loss in recipient countries.

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security, and Official Development Assistance. Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review on the basis of various factors including impact assessments.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reductions to overseas aid on the levels of resilience to (a) conflict and (b) climate shocks among civilian populations in recipient countries.

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security, and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review on the basis of various factors including impact assessments.