Written questions by Timothy.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support and assistance her Department is giving to British nationals in Middle Eastern countries unable to travel home due to the closure of airspace.

The safety and security of British nationals is our top priority. On 3 March, the Foreign Secretary spoke to the House about the consular support available to individuals in the Middle East, and assisted departures have now taken place from both Oman and Dubai. We will provide further updates on a regular basis, including details of our ongoing evacuation flights, as well as our efforts to secure an end to Iran's attacks on countries in the region, and the full resumption of normal commercial flights.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans she has for British nationals in Qatar unable to travel home due to the closure of airspace.

The safety and security of British nationals is our top priority. On 3 March, the Foreign Secretary spoke to the House about the consular support available to individuals in the Middle East, and assisted departures have now taken place from both Oman and Dubai. We will provide further updates on a regular basis, including details of our ongoing evacuation flights, as well as our efforts to secure an end to Iran's attacks on countries in the region, and the full resumption of normal commercial flights.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what alternatives to air travel she is considering for British nationals in Middle Eastern countries unable to travel home due to the closure of airspace.

The safety and security of British nationals is our top priority. On 3 March, the Foreign Secretary spoke to the House about the consular support available to individuals in the Middle East, and assisted departures have now taken place from both Oman and Dubai. We will provide further updates on a regular basis, including details of our ongoing evacuation flights, as well as our efforts to secure an end to Iran's attacks on countries in the region, and the full resumption of normal commercial flights.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if her Department will remove persons with connections to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from the UK.

It has been the long-standing policy under successive governments not to comment on whether specific types of enforcement action are being considered against particular individuals or groups, as to do so would risk reducing the impact of any such action.On the wider issue of our response to the Iranian regime, I refer the Hon Member to the Urgent Question debates on 19 January and 3 February, and to the announcement on sanctions made on 2 February: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-announces-sanctions-against-perpetrators-of-human-rights-violations-in-iran.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will freeze the assets of individuals with connections to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

It has been the long-standing policy under successive governments not to comment on whether specific types of enforcement action are being considered against particular individuals or groups, as to do so would risk reducing the impact of any such action.On the wider issue of our response to the Iranian regime, I refer the Hon Member to the Urgent Question debates on 19 January and 3 February, and to the announcement on sanctions made on 2 February: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-announces-sanctions-against-perpetrators-of-human-rights-violations-in-iran.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding from the Overseas Development Assistance budget has been directed towards housing (a) asylum seekers, (b) refugees and (c) illegal migrants in their first year living in the UK in each year since 2020.

The UK reports its Official Development Assistance spend on a calendar year basis in the Statistics on International Development, including the amount spent on in-donor refugee costs.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with the her US counterparts on the application for the proposed Chinese embassy in London.

The US is our closest ally, and we liaise closely with them on a wide range of issues.A final decision on the proposed embassy will be made by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government in their independent, quasi-judicial role.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the viability of the ceasefire deal regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict.

I refer the Hon Member to the oral statement on the Middle East made by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with European Union counterparts on the residency rights of UK citizens in the EU.

Residency in the EU is primarily a matter for individual Member States, but ministers and officials frequently engage with a range of Member State counterparts to advocate for the rights and interests of British citizens living and working across the EU.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Secret Intelligence Service’s diversity and inclusion policies on the recruitment of White Britons to its Summer Intelligence Internship.

The intelligence agencies, as with any arm to the Civil Service, must take any decisions seeking to improve the diversity of their workforce in-line with UK law and in adherence with the relevant measures of the Equalities Act 2010. These measures permit employers to take specific actions to enable or encourage those with protected characteristics to apply for particular roles. Such action is considered lawful and includes both individuals from White minority backgrounds, those from socially or economically underrepresented groups and those from an ethnic minority background.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to seize further Russian assets in the UK.

The Government is firmly committed to ensuring Russia pays for the damage it has caused and is causing in Ukraine. We have already made progress using sanctioned Russian assets to support Ukraine. Over half of the UK's £2.26 billion contribution to the G7's Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration scheme has now been disbursed to Ukraine, strengthening their defence capabilities in the face of Russian aggression. That contribution will be repaid by the profits generated on sanctioned Russian assets. We are working urgently with partners to explore all legal avenues to go further.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department takes steps to verify statistics published by the Gaza Health Ministry.

Like many of our partners, we use data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to report on daily casualties in the current Gaza conflict. OCHA draws on figures issued from the Gazan Ministry of Health (MoH). Producing reliable casualty statistics in contexts of violent conflict is never straightforward. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has consulted experts, including from the London School of Tropical Medicine and Every Casualty Counts. Experts assess that the total number of deaths in Gaza since 7 October 2023 estimated by the Gaza Ministry of Health is a reasonable figure, though numbers of those still under rubble, and still missing, is not yet known.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department uses Gaza Health Ministry statistics in its Cross Whitehall Briefings.

Like many of our partners, we use data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to report on daily casualties in the current Gaza conflict. OCHA draws on figures issued from the Gazan Ministry of Health (MoH). Producing reliable casualty statistics in contexts of violent conflict is never straightforward. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has consulted experts, including from the London School of Tropical Medicine and Every Casualty Counts. Experts assess that the total number of deaths in Gaza since 7 October 2023 estimated by the Gaza Ministry of Health is a reasonable figure, though numbers of those still under rubble, and still missing, is not yet known.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether criminal charges (a) have been made and (b) convictions have been secured against Sri Lankan nationals on Diego Garcia by BIOT authorities.

Where allegations of criminality are made on BIOT, they are investigated by the authorities there and criminal charges brought and prosecuted where appropriate.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he made of the potential implications for his policies of Iran’s (a) compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions, (b) attempts to develop its military nuclear programme and (c) deployment of missiles against civilian targets in Israel before the vote in the UN General Assembly on draft decision A/C.1/79/L.32 on missiles.

The UK supported draft decision A/C.1/79/L.32 alongside international partners to ensure missiles remained on the agenda of the 81st session of the UN 1st Committee. We are clear that Iran continues to destabilise the region through its political, financial, and military support for its proxies and partners - in direct contravention of multiple UNSCRs. Iran also continues to escalate its nuclear programme, which has no credible civilian justification. We will continue to tackle this destabilising behaviour by holding Iran to account at the UN and in other multilateral fora. The UK is also prepared to use all diplomatic levers to ensure that Iran never develops a nuclear weapon.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with the Government of Mauritius in relation to Sri Lankan nationals located on Diego Garcia.

The Government discussed a wide range of issues with Mauritius during the negotiations over the exercise of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, including the migrant situation on Diego Garcia. The agreement reached between the UK and Mauritius on 3 October will shut down any possibility of the Indian Ocean being used as a dangerous illegal migration route to the UK, with Mauritius taking responsibility for any future arrivals once the treaty underpinning the agreement enters into force. Any further arrivals before the treaty comes into force will be handled in line with the recent agreement with St Helena.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on whether any Sri Lankan nationals on Diego Garcia hold criminal records.

The FCDO does not have any information about Sri Lankan migrants' criminality that pre-dates their arrival on British Indian Ocean Territory. Any criminality on BIOT has been dealt with and recorded as appropriate by the BIOT police and BIOT Courts.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what industrial disputes are ongoing within (a) his Department and (b) each of the arm’s length bodies connected to his Department; how many (i) staff and (ii) contractors are involved in each dispute; what the form of industrial action is in each dispute; which recognised trade union is involved in each dispute; what the substantive matter is that is being disputed in each case; and what steps he plans to take to end each dispute.

PCS Union members are taking industrial action affecting the FM services at FCDO's facility in East Kilbride, known as Abercrombie House. The FM services affected include Soft Services and Security Guarding contracted by the Landlord: The Government Property Agency. The FCDO do not hold any contractual relationship with the employers of the PCS Union members, either OCS or G4S to influence negotiations regarding industrial action.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to decolonise the artwork or heritage assets in (a) his Department, (b) its Embassies and High Commissions overseas and (c) each of its Arm’s Length Bodies.

The FCDO continues to look at how best to engage with the historic artwork in its Grade One listed joint headquarters in King Charles Street, a process started under previous Foreign Secretaries. Works of art from the Government Art Collection are also selected for display in representational areas of UK and international Government buildings by Ministers, Diplomats and other Senior Civil Servants in consultation with Government Art Collection staff. This ensures that high-profile visitors experience British art that showcases the culture, creativity and values of contemporary Britain.Artwork in Embassies, High Commissions and Residences overseas is the responsibility of our Ambassadors and High Commissioners who work closely with the Government Art Collection to best reflect the United Kingdom overseas. Similarly, the artwork in arms-length bodies of the FCDO is the responsibility of the chief executives of those organisations.