Written questions by Patel.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the provisions on arrest and extradition of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, if she will provide an estimate of the numbers of persons to be affected by those provisions each year.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to my statement to the House on 26 February, and the draft treaty documents published on the same day. I look forward to going over the detail of the new arrangements with her when the final text of the treaty is brought before the House for scrutiny in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Articles 22, 23 and 24, and Annex 6, of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, (a) what estimate she has made of the UK’s contribution to the cost of the secretariat, (b) what process she will put in place to notify Parliament in advance of forthcoming decisions and (c) which documents exchanged through (i) the Cooperation Council and (ii) its respective specialist committees will be published.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to my statement to the House on 26 February, and the draft treaty documents published on the same day. I look forward to going over the detail of the new arrangements with her when the final text of the treaty is brought before the House for scrutiny in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Articles 10(2)(a) and 10(3) of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, (a) what assessment she has made of the legal impact of this measure on (i) the UK and (ii) Gibraltar; and which legal instruments this provision would apply to once ratified.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to my statement to the House on 26 February, and the draft treaty documents published on the same day. I look forward to going over the detail of the new arrangements with her when the final text of the treaty is brought before the House for scrutiny in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to (a) Article 8(2) of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, (i) what assessment she has made of the legal impact of this measure on (i) the UK and (ii) Gibraltar, and which international forums this provision applies to and (b) Article 9(2), what assessment she has made of the legal impact of this measure on (i) the UK and (ii) Gibraltar, and which international forums this provision applies to.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to my statement to the House on 26 February, and the draft treaty documents published on the same day. I look forward to going over the detail of the new arrangements with her when the final text of the treaty is brought before the House for scrutiny in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what mechanisms within the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement are being utilised to support Bahrain’s defence against Iranian attacks.

The Government has condemned Iran's reckless attacks across the region, including on Gulf partners who are not party to the conflict, and remains firmly committed to their security. That commitment is reflected in the US‑UK‑Bahrain C‑SIPA defence pact. Within the auspices of C-SIPA, the UK Chief of Defence Staff spoke with Bahraini National Security Advisor (NSA) His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and with US CENTCOM Commander Admiral Cooper on 5 March, with both the UK and US reaffirming support for Bahrain. The Prime Minister spoke with His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on 5 March to offer defence support, including RAF Typhoons deployed in theatre. We remain closely engaged with the US on the regional situation and will continue to defend Bahrain, our allies, and UK interests.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her US counterparts about activating provisions in the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement to support Bahrain’s defence against Iranian attacks.

The Government has condemned Iran's reckless attacks across the region, including on Gulf partners who are not party to the conflict, and remains firmly committed to their security. That commitment is reflected in the US‑UK‑Bahrain C‑SIPA defence pact. Within the auspices of C-SIPA, the UK Chief of Defence Staff spoke with Bahraini National Security Advisor (NSA) His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and with US CENTCOM Commander Admiral Cooper on 5 March, with both the UK and US reaffirming support for Bahrain. The Prime Minister spoke with His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on 5 March to offer defence support, including RAF Typhoons deployed in theatre. We remain closely engaged with the US on the regional situation and will continue to defend Bahrain, our allies, and UK interests.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether officials from her Department have (a) met with representatives from the Iranian Embassy in London in 2026 and (b) attended an Anniversary of the Islamic Revolution event with the Iranian Ambassador in 2026.

The Government has made its position on the Iranian regime clear, whether in relation to its state threat activity (see the Security Minister's oral statement on 4 March 2025), its repression of human rights protests at the turn of the year (see the Foreign Secretary's oral statement on 13 January), or its attacks on its Gulf neighbours in recent weeks (see the Prime Minister's oral statement on 2 March).FCDO officials continue to raise all these issues on a regular basis with the Iranian embassy in London, along with a range of other issues affecting UK national interests, such as the cases of British nationals under detention in Iran. That kind of engagement has been maintained ever since the previous government permitted the Iranian embassy to reopen in London in 2015, as the Rt Hon Member can see from the answers of 20 September 2016 to Question 46281, 16 November 2016 to Question HL3001, 21 November 2017 to Question 113527, 22 January 2019 to Question 208787, 10 November 2020 to Question HL9786, 16 June 2021 to Question 14181, 18 and 19 October 2022 to Questions 59952 and 59003, and 25 May 2023 to Question 185892.Similarly, she will be aware that representatives from the FCDO have regularly attended the Iran National Day event since the Iranian Embassy was re-opened in 2015, including when the Rt Hon Member was the Home Secretary.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2026, if any funding provided by the UK Government has been used to support the Palestinian Authority’s ‘Pay for Slay’ payment schemes.

No. The UK's official development assistance to Palestine is directed at humanitarian relief, support for Palestinian economic development, and strengthening Palestinian Authority governance and reform.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2026, whether (a) she, (b) Ministers in her Department and (c) her officials have discussed ‘pay for slay’ payments with representatives of the Palestinian Authority.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer she received on 12 January in response to Question 103247.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2026 to Question 105663, on Palestine: Terrorism, when she will undertake an assessment of (a) the number of recipients of ‘pay for slay’ payments and (b) alternative ways the Palestinian Authority is making payments to terrorists.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer she received on 12 January in response to Question 103247.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, What funding she provided to the Palestinian Authority (a) from 5 July 2024 to 31 December 2024; and (b) in 2025; and what funding she plans to provide in (i) 2026, (ii) 2027, (iii) 2028, (iv) 2029 and (v) 2030.

Details of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funding for the Palestinian Authority over the period 2024-2025 were set out in the Foreign Secretary's letter to the Foreign Affairs Committee dated 16 February 2026. Any decisions on funding for the period up to 2028/29 will be made as part of the FCDO's allocations process in the coming months.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what communications her Department have received from the Government of the Maldives on the Chagos Archipelago since 5 July 2024.

Further to the answer the Rt Hon Member was provided on 18 June 2025 in response to Question 57626, we continue to speak to our counterparts in the Maldives on a regular basis about a range of issues. However, I would reiterate to her that the question of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago is a matter for the UK and Mauritius, which is why the previous government launched negotiations with Mauritius on the issue in 2022, rather than with the Maldives.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Mauritian Government concerning that Government's plans for the resettlement the Chagos Islands in each of the next five years.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer she was provided on 13 February in response to Question 110763.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Mauritian Government on the internal domestic Mauritian processes and timescales to ratify the UK-Mauritius Treaty.

I refer the Hon member to the answer given on 13 February to question 110763.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions (a) her ministers and (b) her officials had with Peter Mandelson during his tenure as Ambassador to the United States on the future of the Chagos Archipelago; and what discussions her Department had with Peter Mandelson on the future of the Chagos Archipelago prior to his appointment as Ambassador to the United States.

I refer the Rt. Hon Member to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12 February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when (a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department held discussions with her US counterparts on the 1966 Exchange of Notes with the US on the sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory since July 2024.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 22 December 2025 in response to Question HL12714. Any updates will be provided in the usual way in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has received advice on the UK unilaterally revising the 1966 Exchange of Notes with the US on the sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 22 December 2025 in response to Question HL12714. Any updates will be provided in the usual way in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding has been provided to Mauritius under the UK-Mauritius Strategic Partnership Framework.

I refer the Rt Hon Member once again to the answers I gave her on 12 and 13 November 2025 in response to Questions 88232 and 88233.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Government of Rwanda on the UK-Rwanda Asylum Partnership Agreement.

None. The UK-Rwanda Asylum Partnership Agreement agreed by the Rt Hon Member in April 2022 was scrapped in July 2024, having cost the taxpayer £700 million. During the period it was in place, 84,000 people crossed the Channel in small boats, and the only individuals relocated to Kigali were four volunteers, each given five years of free housing, free food, free healthcare, and free university education, at a cost of £150,000 each.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her US counterpart on the future sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago since 20 January 2026.

The UK Government keeps in regular contact with our counterparts in the United States and Mauritius regarding progress on the implementation of the agreement. We do not intend to provide a running commentary on these conversations.