Written questions by Morton.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2025 to Question 91355, what steps she is taking to help ensure UK-funded humanitarian assistance is reaching people most in need in El Fasher, including survivors of sexual and gender-based violence; and what mechanisms her Department is using to monitor and verify the effective delivery of that support in areas affected by severe access constraints.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 8 December 2025 in response to Question 95683.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 91353, what further steps have been taken since the letter evidence of June 2025.

The Rt Hon Member's question refers to an answer originally provided to her in error on 19 November, and subsequently replaced with the correct answer to Question 91353.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her Department’s measures to ensure that nutrition objectives are integrated within women and girls’ programmes; and how the Child Nutrition Fund and the Resilience and Adaptation Fund are aligned with her Department's gender policy frameworks.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 November 2025 to Question 89032, which outlines the work the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) and Resilience and Adaptation Fund (RAF) are doing to address malnutrition of women and girls. As laid out in the 2025 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) paper entitled 'Healthy Women, Children and Newborns: A Coordinated Approach to Ending Preventable Deaths', all of our programmes in this area are assessed for effectiveness. The CNF and RAF are both tracked by gender and nutrition-sensitive internal markers, therefore contributing to the FCDO's commitment to ensuring nutrition investments deliver for women and girls.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 88259, what discussions has she or her officials had with MOD counterparts regarding the coordination of ODA allocations across their two departments.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer she was provided on 17 November 2025 in response to Question 88261.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 88260. what mechanisms are in place to assess the effectiveness of ODA funded programmes which focus on countering disinformation and destabilisation in the Western Balkans.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer she was provided on 17 November 2025 in response to Question 88261.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking with international partners to help ensure that humanitarian aid can reach civilians in Gaza safely and at scale.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to: (a) the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January, (b) the joint statement on humanitarian access issued by the Foreign Secretary and nine of her international counterparts on 30 December, (c) the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on these issues at oral questions on 2 December, and (d) the statement that the Foreign Secretary made to the House on Gaza on 18 November. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to formally acknowledge the work of COGAT personnel involved in co-ordinating humanitarian access into Gaza.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to: (a) the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January, (b) the joint statement on humanitarian access issued by the Foreign Secretary and nine of her international counterparts on 30 December, (c) the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on these issues at oral questions on 2 December, and (d) the statement that the Foreign Secretary made to the House on Gaza on 18 November. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of progress in implementing the international 20-point plan for humanitarian access in Gaza.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to: (a) the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January, (b) the joint statement on humanitarian access issued by the Foreign Secretary and nine of her international counterparts on 30 December, (c) the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on these issues at oral questions on 2 December, and (d) the statement that the Foreign Secretary made to the House on Gaza on 18 November. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with regional partners on improving the security and efficiency of routes for humanitarian aid entering Gaza.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to: (a) the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January, (b) the joint statement on humanitarian access issued by the Foreign Secretary and nine of her international counterparts on 30 December, (c) the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on these issues at oral questions on 2 December, and (d) the statement that the Foreign Secretary made to the House on Gaza on 18 November. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of proposals for an internationally supported stabilisation mechanism for Gaza following the cessation of hostilities.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to: (a) the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January, (b) the joint statement on humanitarian access issued by the Foreign Secretary and nine of her international counterparts on 30 December, (c) the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on these issues at oral questions on 2 December, and (d) the statement that the Foreign Secretary made to the House on Gaza on 18 November. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has a role in reviewing proscription designations for armed groups operating in Syria.

In the case of the de-proscription of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), I refer the Rt Hon Member to the written ministerial statement provided by the Security Minister on 22 October 2025, setting out the process leading up to that decision. De-proscription decisions are made by the Home Secretary following an extensive process of consideration and assessment of all available information, to which the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office contributes.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with Israeli authorities on the operational role of COGAT in facilitating humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to: (a) the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January, (b) the joint statement on humanitarian access issued by the Foreign Secretary and nine of her international counterparts on 30 December, (c) the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on these issues at oral questions on 2 December, and (d) the statement that the Foreign Secretary made to the House on Gaza on 18 November. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking with international partners to support long-term security and governance arrangements to help facilitate sustained humanitarian access in Gaza.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to: (a) the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January, (b) the joint statement on humanitarian access issued by the Foreign Secretary and nine of her international counterparts on 30 December, (c) the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on these issues at oral questions on 2 December, and (d) the statement that the Foreign Secretary made to the House on Gaza on 18 November. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether it remains Government policy to support Israel’s participation in international cultural institutions and competitions; and whether she has assessed the potential implications for UK-Israel relations of boycott actions taken by broadcasters in Europe.

There has been no change of policy in this area, and no such assessment made.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate she has made of the total cost to her Department of implementing the proposed treaty with Mauritius on the Chagos Archipelago.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answers provided on 12 January in response to Question 103250, and in the Urgent Question debate on 26 January.The costs of the Treaty will be split between the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the fiscal impact on her Department’s budget of supporting the resettlement of the Chagossian community.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answers provided on 12 January in response to Question 103250, and in the Urgent Question debate on 26 January.The costs of the Treaty will be split between the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the data found in the Co-ordination of Government Activities in the Territories response to the IPC Report, published on 19 December 2025.

In December 2025, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported that acute food insecurity and malnutrition remains rife in Gaza, with more than half a million people facing severe food shortages. The IPC use standard global methodology which has been used for many years and trusted by the humanitarian community. We assess this methodology to be robust and do not agree with the COGAT response to it. We continue to call on the Government of Israel to remove restrictions on humanitarian access.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Department is taking to help tackle destabilising activity by states supporting the Maduro regime.

I thank the Rt Hon Member for her series of questions on the situation in Venezuela. For the most recent statement of the UK's position, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement on 5 January, and her responses in the subsequent debate. We will keep the House updated on developments in the normal way in due course.Specifically on the issue of Guyana's sovereignty, I refer her to the answer provided on 12 January in response to Question 103713; on the issue of sanctions, I remind her that it has been the long-standing position under successive governments not to discuss potential designations, as to do so would undermine their effectiveness; and on the issue of drug-trafficking, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 3 December.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps her Department has taken to support efforts to restore democratic institutions in Venezuela.

I thank the Rt Hon Member for her series of questions on the situation in Venezuela. For the most recent statement of the UK's position, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement on 5 January, and her responses in the subsequent debate. We will keep the House updated on developments in the normal way in due course.Specifically on the issue of Guyana's sovereignty, I refer her to the answer provided on 12 January in response to Question 103713; on the issue of sanctions, I remind her that it has been the long-standing position under successive governments not to discuss potential designations, as to do so would undermine their effectiveness; and on the issue of drug-trafficking, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 3 December.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of levels of authoritarian state support for the Maduro regime on the rules-based international order.

I thank the Rt Hon Member for her series of questions on the situation in Venezuela. For the most recent statement of the UK's position, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement on 5 January, and her responses in the subsequent debate. We will keep the House updated on developments in the normal way in due course.Specifically on the issue of Guyana's sovereignty, I refer her to the answer provided on 12 January in response to Question 103713; on the issue of sanctions, I remind her that it has been the long-standing position under successive governments not to discuss potential designations, as to do so would undermine their effectiveness; and on the issue of drug-trafficking, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 3 December.