Written questions by Morton.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support he is providing to the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that group on prosecutions for war crimes committed in Ukraine.

The UK, in partnership with the EU and the US, launched the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA) in May 2022. Its mission is to support the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (OPG), and to ensure efficient coordination of our respective support to accountability efforts on the ground, including facilitating the deployment of financial resources and skilled personnel. UK funding for this work has totalled £6.2 million to date. ACA has made significant progress in supporting the OPG, including through the case-mapping and prioritisation of over 170,000 recorded atrocity crimes. ACA's Mobile Justice Teams operate on the ground across Ukraine to support OPG investigations, including in areas such as evidence collection and case building.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish a strategy for tackling anti-microbial resistance globally; and how much funding he plans to provide for anti-microbial resistance official development assistance programmes in the 2025-26 financial year.

The UK's approach to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is set out in the UK National Action Plan. The UK has played a key role globally in advocating for the need for strong action on AMR, for example, helping to secure a strong outcome from last year's UN High Level Meeting on AMR. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office supports action to tackle AMR through its bilateral and research investments and through support to multilateral organisations that play a key role in tackling AMR globally, such as the World Health Organisation, the Global Fund and the Food and Agriculture Organisation. It is not possible to identify the specific AMR element of such spending for 2025/26, as we are unable to disaggregate the AMR element of our multilateral and bilateral funding. Funding for the period beyond 2025/26 remains under review.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support pandemic preparedness.

Strengthening pandemic prevention, preparedness and response is a priority for the Government. Through our multilateral and bilateral programming and working across Government and with our international partners we are helping to safeguard lives and economic stability in the UK and globally from pandemic threats. The UK's role in helping secure the recent adoption of the Pandemic Agreement at the World Health Assembly in May 2025 and our support to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Gavi are examples of this effort.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to increase support for international justice initiatives aimed at prosecuting people responsible for (a) war crimes and (b) crimes against humanity in Ukraine.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. As early as February 2022, the UK led efforts to expedite an ICC investigation into Russian war crimes in Ukraine. The ICC's investigation is ongoing, with several arrest warrants already issued.The UK has led the way in ensuring the ICC has the resources and support necessary to conduct its independent investigations, including by seconding personnel to support the Ukraine investigation. The UK is one of the Court's major funders, providing £13.6 million to the annual budget in 2025.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of debt servicing costs on developing countries’ public health spending.

Tackling unsustainable debt is one of the UK government’s international development priorities and we are committed to an international financial system that supports development needs and helps countries address their debt vulnerabilities, aligned with the aim of the recommendations of The Jubilee Report. The UK supports tailored debt solutions within a consistent international mechanisms, such as the G20 Common Framework, and actively advocates for responsible lending and borrowing practices, as well as enhanced debt transparency from both creditors and borrowers. We agree that the Common Framework could be improved to deliver smoother and more timely solutions. We are advancing these priorities through initiatives like the London Coalition on Sustainable Sovereign Debt, the G20, and the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable. Where necessary, we have backed early and comprehensive debt reprofiling, provided such measures credibly restore sustainability. We also agree that prioritising growth in borrower countries is essential for achieving long-term debt sustainability, and our focus remains on solutions that prevent defaults before they arise. We have implemented contractual innovations, such as climate-resilient debt clauses (CRDCs) for which we were the first creditor to do so, to help borrowers manage liquidity pressures following shocks, and are working with the private sector to expand their adoption. We are also pushing for the integration of climate risks into debt sustainability analyses and are pressing this agenda with the IMF and World Bank. The UK remains a strong advocate for comparability of treatment in debt restructurings. At present, we do not see a case for further legislation, as there is little evidence of private sector holdouts in negotiations, although we keep this under review. We recognise that in many low-income countries high debt servicing costs are crowding out spending on public health. To support low-income and emerging market countries with short-term liquidity challenges we support the IMF and World Bank’s Three Pillar Approach, which combines structural reforms, domestic resource mobilisation and external financial support to reduce debt burdens. We are pushing for the Three Pillar Approach to be rolled out swiftly, including for the IMF and World to actively engage early with affected countries to ensure they are informed of what support is available.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for his policies on global debt of the publication entitled The Jubilee Report: A Blueprint for Tackling the Debt and Development Crises and Creating the Financial Foundations for a Sustainable People-Centered Global Economy, published on 20 June 2025.

Tackling unsustainable debt is one of the UK government’s international development priorities and we are committed to an international financial system that supports development needs and helps countries address their debt vulnerabilities, aligned with the aim of the recommendations of The Jubilee Report. The UK supports tailored debt solutions within a consistent international mechanisms, such as the G20 Common Framework, and actively advocates for responsible lending and borrowing practices, as well as enhanced debt transparency from both creditors and borrowers. We agree that the Common Framework could be improved to deliver smoother and more timely solutions. We are advancing these priorities through initiatives like the London Coalition on Sustainable Sovereign Debt, the G20, and the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable. Where necessary, we have backed early and comprehensive debt reprofiling, provided such measures credibly restore sustainability. We also agree that prioritising growth in borrower countries is essential for achieving long-term debt sustainability, and our focus remains on solutions that prevent defaults before they arise. We have implemented contractual innovations, such as climate-resilient debt clauses (CRDCs) for which we were the first creditor to do so, to help borrowers manage liquidity pressures following shocks, and are working with the private sector to expand their adoption. We are also pushing for the integration of climate risks into debt sustainability analyses and are pressing this agenda with the IMF and World Bank. The UK remains a strong advocate for comparability of treatment in debt restructurings. At present, we do not see a case for further legislation, as there is little evidence of private sector holdouts in negotiations, although we keep this under review. We recognise that in many low-income countries high debt servicing costs are crowding out spending on public health. To support low-income and emerging market countries with short-term liquidity challenges we support the IMF and World Bank’s Three Pillar Approach, which combines structural reforms, domestic resource mobilisation and external financial support to reduce debt burdens. We are pushing for the Three Pillar Approach to be rolled out swiftly, including for the IMF and World to actively engage early with affected countries to ensure they are informed of what support is available.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to support the Pandemic Fund beyond 2025-26.

The UK has committed £25 million to the Pandemic Fund. We are currently working through detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance budget will be used in future years, informed by internal and external consultation and impact assessments, ahead of publishing indicative multi-year allocations in the autumn.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) adequacy and (b) effectiveness of the funding provided in December 2024 to help support Ukraine’s capacity to (i) investigate and (ii) prosecute war crimes.

The UK has been at the forefront of international efforts to develop Ukraine's capacity to investigate and prosecute atrocity crimes resulting from Russia's illegal invasion. Our coordinated approach with US and EU partners through the establishment of the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group has ensured that support from international donors is efficiently coordinated and streamlined in close cooperation with the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine. We continue to review and refine our support, to ensure it is meeting Ukraine's needs.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the speech by the Minister of State for International Development at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville on 2 July, what reforms are required for the UK Government to support a capital increase for the World Bank’s International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The UK government supports a capital increase for the World Bank's International Bank for Reconstruction and Development subject to reforms in three areas. Firstly, implementation of reforms aimed at boosting lending from the Bank's existing resources. Secondly, implementation of reforms to improve the Bank's efficiency, agility, shock-responsiveness and operations in fragile settings. Thirdly, reforms to make the Bank more responsive to the voice of the lowest income and most vulnerable countries, ensuring it can support their climate and development needs.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is providing support to establish a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

The UK has long supported efforts to establish a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. This is a manifesto commitment and a personal priority for the Foreign Secretary. UK experts played a key role in discussions within the 'Core Group', which devised the legal basis for the Tribunal. In May, the Foreign Secretary travelled to Lviv and endorsed the legal texts. In June, we welcomed the signing of the bilateral agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe. All these steps help bring us closer to making the Special Tribunal a reality. We continue to offer technical, legal and political support as work progresses through the Council of Europe.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that (a) victims and (b) witnesses of war crimes in Ukraine are protected from reprisals (i) during and (ii) after investigations.

Through our support for the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA), the UK has worked to ensure that the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (OPG) takes a survivor-centred justice response, rooted in international standards, in order to protect the rights of victims and witnesses. This has included supporting the establishment of the Victim and Witness Coordination Centre in the OPG, which has already provided support and protection to 1,500 people engaged in legal proceedings related to atrocity crimes. The UK is also providing capacity-building support through the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict team of experts to embed international guidance and best practice on survivor-centred approaches into the work of Ukrainian investigators, prosecutors and judges. In November 2024, the Ukrainian parliament approved a law on the legal and social protection of Conflict Related Sexual Violence victims, the development of which was supported by UK funding.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps is he taking to fund (a) disease diagnostics and (b) primary health care services in developing countries.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) supports disease diagnostics through investments in health services, and research and development. We invest in public-private Product Development Partnerships to create diagnostics for diseases like sleeping sickness, malaria, and Tuberculosis. Through our partnership with Institut Pasteur de Dakar we're advancing rapid tests for epidemic diseases such as meningitis, Marburg, and Ebola. Our investment though the Tackling Deadly Diseases in Africa programme (TDDAP) strengthens surveillance and lab systems in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, and DRC, and our investments in the Global Fund support testing, treatment, and prevention in low and middle-income countries, with 335 million malaria tests conducted in 2023. Our investment in Gavi is enabling the vaccination of 300 million children over 2021-2025 and supports diagnostics distribution, with £1.25 billion committed for 2026-2030 as recently announced.On primary health care (PHC), the FCDO uses multilateral and bilateral investments, diplomacy and research to strengthen PHC systems. Multilateral support through Gavi, the Global Fund, WHO, UNICEF, UNITAID, and the World Bank complements bilateral partnerships. In Nigeria, for example, we're contributing £16 million with other investors to scale up PHC delivery for mothers, infants, and children, and to strengthen the health workforce.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of UK funding for global health data systems supporting future pandemic preparedness.

The UK has a strong record of partnering and supporting others to strengthen global pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, within which strengthening health surveillance and information systems is a core priority. We strengthen these systems through, for example, our support as leading donor to the Global Fund, the World Health Organisation, Gavi and the World Bank; through the deployment of UK expertise under the International Health Regulations Strengthening Programme; and through bilateral support to strengthen health systems in low- and middle-income countries.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps he has taken with (a) NATO, (b) the United Nations and (c) G7 partners to ensure accountability for senior Russian officials suspected of orchestrating atrocity crimes in Ukraine.

The Foreign Secretary regularly raises the issue of international criminal justice and accountability with partners, including in multilateral fora. The UK is committed to securing accountability for those responsible for atrocity crimes, and any allegations in the context of Russia's war in Ukraine must be thoroughly investigated by competent and independent courts - such as the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC's investigation into the situation in Ukraine is ongoing, with several arrest warrants already issued for current or former senior Russian officials.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has had recent discussions with the Yale University Humanitarian Research Lab on the future of its work monitoring the deportation of Ukrainian children by Russian forces.

Ukraine's Office of the Prosecutor General has confirmed that Yale's data on deported children has been transferred to the Ukrainian government. The data that the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab provided to Ukraine was part of a larger project, not specifically aimed at tracking deported children. We are working closely with the Government of Ukraine to identify which Open-Source Intelligence providers will best meet their needs to provide this data in future. We are supporting political efforts to return and rehabilitate forcibly deported children and, through the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine, are also funding Ukrainian organisations working to return and rehabilitate children.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the legal options available for (a) sanctioning and (b) prosecuting Russian officials involved in the forced (i) abduction and (ii) deportation of Ukrainian children.

We are playing our full part in international efforts to reunite these children with their families. On 3 September 2025, we announced a fourth round of sanctions targeting those attempting to forcibly deport and indoctrinate Ukrainian children. We do not comment on any potential future designations as to do so could lessen their impact. We welcome the progress the International Criminal Court is making in its active investigation, including the issuing of arrest warrants for individuals connected to the forced deportation of children. Legal action alone will not bring Ukrainian children home. We are also supporting efforts to return and rehabilitate forcibly deported children.I have regularly discussed this issue with ministerial counterparts most recently with European counterparts at the Gymnich in Copenhagen on 29 and 30 August. We also welcome the strong emphasis the United States has placed on this issue including the efforts of the First Lady.

With reference to p.12 of The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy 2025 published on 23 June 2025, on what evidential basis his Department determined which business sectors have high potential.

Invest 2035 (published on GOV.UK in October 2024) identified 8 high-level 'growth driving' sectors (the IS-8): Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Creative Industries, Defence, Digital and Technologies, Financial Services, Life Sciences, and Professional and Business Services. Pages 18-20 of the Invest 2035 green paper outline the methodology for identifying the IS-8 sectors.The Technical Annex of the Modern Industrial Strategy 2025 (published on GOV.UK in June 2025) outlines the methodology for identifying the frontier industries within the IS-8 sectors.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2025 to Question 65283 on Railways: Electrification, how many miles of electrification will be delivered from that funding in each of those three years.

The Department does not hold estimates for how much electrification will be delivered on a yearly basis, as the rate of delivery can vary as projects progress and proposals are finalised in the development stage. Network Rail publishes yearly statistics for electrification delivered annually in Great Britain as part of their annual return. These returns can be found here: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/who-we-are/publications-and-resources/regulatory-and-licensing/annual-return/ Electrification delivery over the course of the coming three years will be published here in the normal way.

How much funding her Department has allocated to the M54 to M6 link road in Staffordshire; and how she plans to allocate this funding across the Spending Review period.

On the 8th July, the Transport Secretary announced that the scheme will be progressing, following on from the Spending Review in June. £24 billion of capital funding is being provided between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve motorways and local roads. Scheme costs for the Strategic Road Network schemes including the M54 to M6 Link Road will be confirmed as part of the setting of the third road investment strategy (RIS3), planned to be published by the end of March next year. The delivery timetable for the scheme will also be confirmed during the setting of the next Road Investment Strategy [RIS3], which begins in April 2026.

What her Department's planned timetable is for completing the M54 to M6 link road in Staffordshire.

On the 8th July, the Transport Secretary announced that the scheme will be progressing, following on from the Spending Review in June. £24 billion of capital funding is being provided between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve motorways and local roads. Scheme costs for the Strategic Road Network schemes including the M54 to M6 Link Road will be confirmed as part of the setting of the third road investment strategy (RIS3), planned to be published by the end of March next year. The delivery timetable for the scheme will also be confirmed during the setting of the next Road Investment Strategy [RIS3], which begins in April 2026.