Written questions by Morton.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help support the UN fact finding mission to collect and preserve evidence of potential human rights and international humanitarian law violations in Sudan.

UK-led lobbying at the United Nations Human Rights Council in October 2024 directly led to the UN Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) securing a mandate extension with an increased majority. The Minister for Africa hosted a roundtable in Geneva in February where experts from the FFM briefed member states about the situation in Sudan to increase understanding regarding the atrocities being perpetrated. This year we will provide roughly £1 million to support the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR), a research body gathering open-source evidence about the conflict in Sudan with a view to supporting future accountability. The CIR has been able to assist the FFM in verifying reports of violations through its use of digital information. Human rights violations and abuses by all sides in Sudan's brutal conflict must be investigated impartially. The FFM is the most effective mechanism to support accountability in Sudan. The UK will strongly support its expected mandate renewal later this year in voting at the Human Rights Council.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia on (a) security and (b) regional stability in the western Balkans.

A just and lasting peace is vital for Ukraine and for wider Euro-Atlantic and international security and prosperity. Russia has sought to undermine fragile democracies and fan ethnic tensions across the Western Balkans. This threatens hard-won peace and stability in the region and the ambitions for greater European integration chosen by states. We will continue to counter Russian interference in the region, including through supporting North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) partners, programming on cyber security and counter-disinformation and wider efforts to promote stability and security.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is considering on UK-China cooperation on (a) climate change, (b) artificial intelligence and (c) clean energy.

From 14-17 March, The Secretary of State for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will visit Beijing to discuss energy and the climate crisis with Chinese Ministers. He will sign a UK-China Clean Energy Partnership, hold the eighth UK-China Energy Dialogue, and formally invite counterparts to London to take part in a Climate Dialogue and sign a Climate Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Since China was represented at Vice-Ministerial level at the Bletchley AI Safety Summit in November 2023, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials maintain regular contact with Chinese counterparts on AI safety issues.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on a free trade agreement with the United States.

Both the Foreign Secretary and his officials are speaking regularly with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade and his officials about the future of the UK-US Trade partnership. To echo the Prime Minister's remarks during his meeting with President Trump on 27 February 2025: we will go further and work on a new economic deal with advanced technology at its core. We will set out more details as discussions evolve.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of China's position on the conflict in Ukraine.

China remains the decisive enabler of Russia's war against Ukraine through its large-scale support for Russia.On 13 February the Foreign Secretary met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, underlined the UK's ironclad commitment to Ukraine and urged China to prevent its companies supporting Russia's military. The Foreign Secretary made it clear that we would continue to sanction Chinese companies which are providing the vast majority of dual use components to Russia.The House will also wish to note that in light of the continued flow of these components from China to Russia this Government is now minded to refuse licenses for controlled goods on the Common High Priority list exported for stock to China. Guidance for UK exporters has been updated to this effect.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support (a) Albania and (b) other Western Balkan to maintain regional stability in the context of Russian destabilisation efforts.

Russia has sought to undermine fragile democracies and fan ethnic tensions across the Western Balkans. This threatens hard-won peace and stability in the region and the ambitions for greater European integration chosen by states. We will continue work to counter other Russian hybrid threats in the region, including through support to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) partners and programming on cyber security and counter-disinformation. Furthermore, the UK will host the 2025 Berlin Process, to support wider efforts for stability, security and economic co-operation across the Western Balkans region (including Albania).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with NATO allies on the potential deployment of peacekeeping troops in Ukraine in the event of any ceasefire.

The Foreign Secretary is in regular contact with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Allies as well as Ukraine on how to achieve a just and lasting peace that safeguards Ukraine's security and sovereignty. The Foreign Secretary attended the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Canada from 12-14 March 2025, which discussed security support for Ukraine. The UK has been clear that when this war ends, Ukraine will need robust security guarantees to ensure against future Russian aggression. The UK is playing a leading role alongside France to build a coalition of countries willing to play a role in supporting Ukraine's future security.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to counter foreign disinformation and manipulation campaigns.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) works closely with the Home Office, which leads on addressing malign information activity aimed at UK audiences, and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) which leads on online safety and information threats in the UK. The FCDO is responsible for understanding and addressing information threats relating to third countries, deterring hostile activity globally and building a global ecosystem through partnerships to collectively challenge the threat.The Foreign Secretary recognised the importance of 'stepping up action with allies on Kremlin Disinformation' in his January 2025 Locarno speech.We have dedicated resources to identifying foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) and taking action against Russian networks. This includes sanctioning the Social Design Agency (SDA) for attempting to undermine and destabilise Ukraine; exposing Russia's attempts at electoral interference in Moldova and exposing how RT (formerly Russia Today) engages in covert influence on behalf of the Kremlin.We are driving a collaborative international approach - the G7 pledged to 'strengthen our coordinated efforts to better prevent, detect and respond to FIMI threats'. In January 2025, the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism exposed ongoing deceitful activity of RT and the SDA to advance Russia's interests.We have a range of programmes to build societal resilience in third countries to protect against deceptive information campaigns, and we will continue to provide factual narratives to global audiences.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help support Albania to tackle corruption.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) remains a consistent supporter of efforts to tackle corruption in Albania, through diplomatic engagement and programmes funded by the UK's Integrated Security Fund (ISF) and FCDO Official Development Assistance (ODA). Ongoing support includes working with Albania's security and justice institutions to strengthen accountability and transparency, support to lawmakers to improve the effectiveness of legislation, and empowering journalists to act as effective watchdogs for corruption in public procurement and appointments.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the reconstruction of (a) water networks and (b) other essential infrastructure in Lebanon.

The UK is committed to supporting Lebanon to meet the humanitarian needs of both refugees and vulnerable Lebanese communities. The UK has played a leading role in addressing the humanitarian situation in Lebanon, providing over £41 million in humanitarian funding since April last year. This includes support to provide clean water, emergency latrines and showers for people displaced by the conflict as well the delivery of food, shelter, health, education, and protection services.We will continue to work in partnership with the Lebanese Government and international partners to support the stability, security and long-term prosperity of Lebanon and its people. This includes supporting Lebanon's new Government to prioritise enacting the necessary political and socio-economic reforms needed to facilitate the recovery, reconstruction, and state-building efforts.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans his Department has to continue supporting the delivery of humanitarian aid to Lebanon.

The UK is committed to supporting Lebanon to meet the humanitarian needs of both refugees and vulnerable Lebanese communities. The UK has played a leading role in addressing the humanitarian situation in Lebanon and announced £41 million in humanitarian aid in Financial Year 24/25 to support thousands of displaced and host communities to meet their basic needs and access essential services. We recognise post-ceasefire needs remain high and the UK's ongoing response will continue, including working with international partners to support the Government of Lebanon to respond to the UN Flash Appeal extension.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the United States’ decision to freeze USAID funding on humanitarian aid programmes in Lebanon.

USAID spent $293 million on programmes in Lebanon in 2024 and $3.3 billion since 2017, primarily in education and water sectors. Changes in USAID programmes are a matter for the US. The UK is a strong supporter of Lebanon and supports humanitarian assistance through a range projects, including cash assistance to the most vulnerable, education for out-of-school children and strengthening social protection systems.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has considered using official development assistance as part of the financial arrangements for the Chagos Islands deal.

Once an agreement is signed further details of the Treaty will be put before both Houses for scrutiny and treaty ratification in the usual way. This will include costs.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much and what proportion of expenditure on international climate finance will have been with (a) multilateral organisations and (b) development banks in each financial year between 2020-21 and 2025-26.

The UK Government spend on International Climate Finance (ICF) was £1,560 million in 2020-21, £1,623 million in 2021-22, £1,641 million in 2022-23, and £2,277 million in 2023-24. Financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26 are not complete and so figures are not available. The proportion of ICF spent through multilateral organisations was 41% in 2020-21, 23% in 2021-22, 39% in 2022-23, and 46% in 2023-24. The proportion of ICF spent on development banks, included under multilateral organisations, was 0% between 2020-21 and 2022-23, and 16% in 2023-24.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what amount of International Climate Finance funding is (a) allocated and (b) distributed via other Government departments.

Between 2021-22 and 2023-24 the amount spent on International Climate Finance was £4,111 million by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, £1,179 million by the Department for Energy Security and Net-Zero / Department for Science and Technology and £250 million by the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs. Figures for 2024-25 and subsequent years will be published in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that aid reclassified as international climate finance provides additional finance to developing countries.

All UK International Climate Finance (ICF) supports developing countries with capital investment, technical assistance, and capacity building to help drive the transition to low-carbon, climate resilient and nature positive development paths. Since 2011 UK ICF programmes have directly supported over 110 million people adapt to the effects of climate change; reduced or avoided over 105 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and provided over 82 million people with improved access to clean energy.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of (a) overspends and (b) underspends in the International Climate Finance budget.

The UK has met all of its climate finance targets to date.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent progress his Department has made on increasing private finance through (a) British International Investment and (b) British Investment Partnerships to help meet the UK's international climate finance targets; and how private finance is being targeted towards (i) low-income countries and (ii) climate-vulnerable regions.

In 2023, the British Investment Partnerships (BIP) portfolio invested £1.5 billion in developing countries which mobilised over £3.5 billion of private sector investment. Over 54 per cent of BIP programme spend was classified as International Climate Finance (ICF) and over 70 per cent of BIP programmes operate in least developed countries and lower-middle income countries.Since 2022, BII has invested over $1 billion in climate finance and mobilised over $2 billion of private capital. Over 90 per cent of BII's portfolio is invested in Africa and South Asia, in some of the poorest and most climate vulnerable countries in the world.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking ensure the (a) effectiveness and (b) adequacy of the delivery of international climate finance spending planned for the (i) final two years of the 2021-2026 funding period and (ii) other years.

To ensure the effectiveness and adequacy of the delivery of international climate finance (ICF) spending the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has robust delivery rules in place - these can be found here: FCDO Programme Operating Framework - GOV.UK. In addition, ICF programmes report progress against a set of Key Performance Indicators annually. These results are published to demonstrate the impact and effectiveness of ICF spending - the latest report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-international-climate-finance-results-2024

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) gender equity and (b) the needs of (i) women, (ii) indigenous groups, (iii) people with disabilities and (iv) other vulnerable communities are prioritised in international climate finance initiatives.

The International Development Act 2002, as amended by the International Development (Gender Equality) Act 2014, requires a consideration of gender equality before spending development and humanitarian assistance, including International Climate Finance. The duty ensures that gender equality remains at the heart of the UK's Official Development Assistance work. In addition, we seek to prioritise the needs of vulnerable communities, such as people with disabilities and indigenous groups, including through amplifying the voices of those whose views are often most marginalised, empowering them as decision-makers, advocates and leaders.