Written questions by Patel.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what funds he plans to provide to the economic partnership with Mauritius as part of the proposed Treaty with Mauritius on the future sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Financial obligations arising from this agreement, including departmental budgetary responsibilities, will be managed responsibly within the Government's fiscal framework.The Government intends to share further details of the future economic partnership with Mauritius in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his international counterparts on the introduction of new sustainable development goals.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were agreed by all UN Member States in 2015 and have a target of being achieved by 2030. At the UN's Summit of the Future this September, the Foreign Secretary reaffirmed the UK's unwavering commitment to achieving the SDGs.The UN Summit of the Future's inter-governmentally agreed outcome document invited the UN's High Level Political Forum to consider in 2027 how to advance sustainable development by 2030 and beyond. The UK will engage in these discussions and is focused on working with partners at home and internationally to accelerate progress towards the SDGs by 2030.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of commitments made by the UK at COP 29 for the new collective quantified goal on climate finance.

The new collective quantified goal on climate finance agreed at COP 29 is a collective goal, including finance from a broad range of sources, public and private. It does not set individual country commitments.The UK will play its part alongside others; our contribution to the goal will be carefully considered and determined through the spending review process.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he expects to conclude negotiations with Mauritius on the future sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory before 20 January 2025.

This agreement is in the shared interests of both Mauritius and the UK, including by ensuring the long-term and effective operation of the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia. It has been welcomed by our mutual partners the US and India and opens a new era of security and economic cooperation. We look forward to working with the new Mauritian Government to finalise the Treaty and will update the house in due course on timelines for signature and laying of the Treaty following the usual process.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish details of the (a) travel and (b) costs associated with Jonathan Powell’s role in the negotiations on the future sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

A decision on publishing details of costs associated with his appointment will be made in accordance with FCDO policy on Direct Ministerial Appointments at a later date. Jonathan Powell has carried out limited overseas engagements in his capacity as envoy, including in Mauritius and the United States.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what further visits he expects Jonathan Powell to make in his role negotiating the future sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory; and when he expects that role to end.

Jonathan Powell started his role as National Security Adviser on 2 December. In this role he will continue to engage on matters related to the British Indian Ocean Territory as well as a range of other national security issues, both in the UK and overseas.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 November 2024 to Question 14335 on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Staff, if he will publish an estimate of the cost implications for his Department of the increase in employer National Insurance contributions for 2025/26.

HM Treasury are assessing the impact of the National Insurance increase on the public sector in 2025/26 and will inform the Department of the support it will receive in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will list the occasions he has directly raised the case of Jimmy Lai with his Chinese counterpart.

British national Jimmy Lai's case is a priority for the UK Government. The Foreign Secretary raised his case in his first meeting with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the ASEAN Summit on 26 July, and again during their second meeting in Beijing on 18 October. I raised his case with the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities when I visited Hong Kong on 14-15 November. The Prime Minister also raised Mr Lai's case with President Xi on 18 November.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when Jonathan Powell has had meetings with (a) him and Ministers in his Department; (b) officials; (c) the Prime Minister; (d) Philippe Sands; (e) members of the Mauritian Government; (f) members of the (i) current and (ii) incoming US Administration; (g) representatives of the Chagossians and (h) other third parties on the future sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory since 5 July 2024; and what the subject of each such meeting was.

In his role as BIOT envoy, and with the goal of securing an agreement that protects UK and US security interests, Jonathan Powell has engaged a range of stakeholders, including in the US and Mauritian governments, HMG Ministers and FCDO officials.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish a breakdown of multilateral funding his Department plans to provide via Overseas Development Assistance per organisation in 2025.

We are committed to transparency and will separately publish the FCDO's planned Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations for FY2024/25 and FY2025/26 in due course.The FCDO reports annually on the UK's calendar year ODA expenditure for the previous calendar year via the Statistics on International Development publication. Outturn data on the countries and multilateral organisations in receipt of FCDO ODA in 2025 will be published in autumn 2026.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish a breakdown of Overseas Development Assistance funding his Department plans to allocate per country for 2025.

We are committed to transparency and will separately publish the FCDO's planned Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations for FY2024/25 and FY2025/26 in due course.The FCDO reports annually on the UK's calendar year ODA expenditure for the previous calendar year via the Statistics on International Development publication. Outturn data on the countries and multilateral organisations in receipt of FCDO ODA in 2025 will be published in autumn 2026.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many full-time equivalent employees are currently employed by (a) his Department and (b) non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department; and how many he expects to be employed next year.

As of 30 September 2024 there were a) 8266 Headcount / 8131.58 full-time equivalent staff employed by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and b) 1217 Headcount / 1170.98 full-time equivalent staff employed by the non-departmental public bodies of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. I would expect the number of staff employed by both the FCDO and associated non-departmental public bodies to reduce next year in line with workforce savings targets.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the RDEL allocation provided to his Department in the Autumn Budget 2024 includes resourcing provisions for the additional costs due to changes to employers National Insurance contributions.

The RDEL allocation provided in the Autumn Budget 2024 does not include provision for the additional costs due to changes to employer National Insurance contributions. HM Treasury has subsequently informed the Department that the Government will provide support for additional employer NI costs to all departments and public sector employers and will set out allocations by department in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his planned timetable is for signing the agreement with Mauritius on sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

The timetable for treaty signature has not yet been determined. Following Mauritian elections, UK officials are engaging with the new Mauritian administration on the details of the British Indian Ocean Territory / Chagos Archipelago agreement.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his planned timetable is to publish the details of the treaty with Mauritius on the future sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

The timetable for treaty publication has not yet been determined. However following signature, the treaty will be laid before Parliament in the usual way, consistent with the Constitutional Reform and Governance (CraG) Act 2010.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many staff have left his Department between 5 July and 5 November 2024, broken down by pay grade.

Between 5 July 2024 and 31 October 2024, the following number of UK based members of staff left the FCDO:GradeNumber of StaffAO30-39EO10-19HEO40-49SEO20-29G740-49G610-19SCS110-19SCS2Fewer than 10Grand Total180-199

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of the total staffing costs for (a) his Department; and (b) non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department for (a) the current financial year and (b) the 2025-26 financial year.

In 2024-25, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office estimates total staffing costs to be £975 million and employer national insurance (NI) costs to be £44 million. Budget allocation and workforce planning processes for 2025-26 are in progress but have not been finalised. The workforce budgets of non-departmental bodies are not set by the Department and it does not hold that information. The Department has not estimated the NI costs of its suppliers. The impact of tax changes would be taken into account along with all other changes to their cost base in the usual way through contract negotiations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer (a) prior to and (b) since 30 October 2024 on the resourcing impact for (i) his Department and (ii) non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department of changes to employer National Insurance contributions.

The Foreign Secretary has not had any discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer prior to or since 30 October 2024 on the resourcing impact on the FCDO of changes to employer National Insurance contributions.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of the employer National Insurance contribution costs for (a) his Department and (b) non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (i) in direct staffing costs and (ii) on third party and contract spend for the (A) current and (B) 2025-26 financial year; and whether he has made provision for the impact of the additional costs announced in paragraph 2.40 of the Autumn Budget 2024.

In 2024-25, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office estimates total staffing costs to be £975 million and employer national insurance (NI) costs to be £44 million. Budget allocation and workforce planning processes for 2025-26 are in progress but have not been finalised. The workforce budgets of non-departmental bodies are not set by the Department and it does not hold that information. The Department has not estimated the NI costs of its suppliers. The impact of tax changes would be taken into account along with all other changes to their cost base in the usual way through contract negotiations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many staff were appointed to roles within his Department between 5 July and 5 November 2024, broken down by pay grade.

Between 5 July 2024 and 31 October 2024, the following number of UK based members of staff joined the FCDO:GradeNumber of StaffAO50-59EO70-79HEO120-139SEO30-39G720-29G610-19SCS1Fewer than 10Grand Total320-339