Written questions by Morton.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has plans to publish the outcomes of his Department's consultation on it's Africa policy.

The Foreign Secretary launched a five-month consultation to inform the UK's new approach to the African continent during his visit to Nigeria and South Africa in November. This follows the manifesto commitment to develop a fundamentally transformed partnership that engages with African countries as equals, promotes our economic growth ambitions and supports migration priorities. The new approach will be informed by the consultation and published later this year.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 22001 on Belarus: Sanctions, what the timescale is for completing the cross-Government review of sanctions enforcement.

I launched the cross-Government review of sanctions at the first Small Ministerial Group on enforcement in October. The review is examining whether we have the right powers, approach, capacity and resourcing on policy, implementation and enforcement, with an urgent focus on strengthening the latter. The objectives are to make our sanctions easier to comply with, increase the deterrent effect of enforcement and maximise the flexibility of our cross-government toolkit. It is being led by the FCDO in collaboration with key sanctions Departments and is expected to conclude in Spring 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the UK-Nigeria strategic partnership on future trends in the level of aid distribution in Nigeria.

The Nigeria-UK Strategic Partnership is intended to provide a comprehensive framework for achieving our shared objectives and further strengthening the bilateral relationship. One of the core pillars of the Strategic Partnership is a modernised development partnership. The UK and Nigeria have committed to work together to enhance good governance, reduce poverty and humanitarian need, and support human capital development. Nigeria and the UK are committed to a partnership that encourages long-term and sustainable development by building local institutional capacity and capability to address needs and priorities. To achieve this, the UK will continue to provide Nigeria with Official Development Assistance (ODA).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to implement the International Women and Girls Strategy 2023–2030.

This Government has been clear that we will work to advance gender equality and empower women and girls through our international action. The previous government launched the International Women and Girls Strategy (2023-2030) in March 2023 to guide the UK's international action. Our focus is now firmly on delivery. In November, we announced a new £27 million programme to tackle online violence against women and girls. In December, the Prime Minister announced £37 million to expand access to sexual and reproductive health and rights through supporting grassroots civil society organisations and movements.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans his Department has to update the International Women and Girls Strategy 2023–2030.

This Government has been clear that we will work to advance gender equality and empower women and girls through our international action. The previous government launched the International Women and Girls Strategy (2023-2030) in March 2023 to guide the UK's international action. Our focus is now firmly on delivery. In November, we announced a new £27 million programme to tackle online violence against women and girls. In December, the Prime Minister announced £37 million to expand access to sexual and reproductive health and rights through supporting grassroots civil society organisations and movements.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to monitor the impact of development on grey belt land on local (a) ecosystems, (b) infrastructure and (c) community resources.

It is for individual local authorities to plan and make decisions regarding the locations of new development in their areas.The amount of development that occurs in any given Green Belt will depend on local circumstances. Where a local authority proposes to alter its Green Belt boundaries through a Local Plan, the revised draft Plan will be created in consultation with the local community and submitted for rigorous independent examination by planning inspectors prior to its adoption.Similarly, any planning application will be assessed in the light of policies in the adopted Plan, of relevant policy in the National Planning Policy Framework, and of all other factors the decision-makers find relevant to a particular planning case and its location, including the evidenced concerns of local people.We have been clear that development on grey belt must be sustainable and we have introduced new Golden Rules to ensure that development benefits communities and nature. Our reforms to Green Belt policy do not lessen existing policy obligations to protect designated areas and minimise impacts on biodiversity.Transitional arrangements for implementing policies in the revised National Planning Policy Framework are set out in Annex 1 of it.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure community involvement in decisions on the (a) designation and (b) development of grey belt land.

It is for individual local authorities to plan and make decisions regarding the locations of new development in their areas.The amount of development that occurs in any given Green Belt will depend on local circumstances. Where a local authority proposes to alter its Green Belt boundaries through a Local Plan, the revised draft Plan will be created in consultation with the local community and submitted for rigorous independent examination by planning inspectors prior to its adoption.Similarly, any planning application will be assessed in the light of policies in the adopted Plan, of relevant policy in the National Planning Policy Framework, and of all other factors the decision-makers find relevant to a particular planning case and its location, including the evidenced concerns of local people.We have been clear that development on grey belt must be sustainable and we have introduced new Golden Rules to ensure that development benefits communities and nature. Our reforms to Green Belt policy do not lessen existing policy obligations to protect designated areas and minimise impacts on biodiversity.Transitional arrangements for implementing policies in the revised National Planning Policy Framework are set out in Annex 1 of it.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to ensure environmental protections are maintained when development occurs on grey belt land.

It is for individual local authorities to plan and make decisions regarding the locations of new development in their areas.The amount of development that occurs in any given Green Belt will depend on local circumstances. Where a local authority proposes to alter its Green Belt boundaries through a Local Plan, the revised draft Plan will be created in consultation with the local community and submitted for rigorous independent examination by planning inspectors prior to its adoption.Similarly, any planning application will be assessed in the light of policies in the adopted Plan, of relevant policy in the National Planning Policy Framework, and of all other factors the decision-makers find relevant to a particular planning case and its location, including the evidenced concerns of local people.We have been clear that development on grey belt must be sustainable and we have introduced new Golden Rules to ensure that development benefits communities and nature. Our reforms to Green Belt policy do not lessen existing policy obligations to protect designated areas and minimise impacts on biodiversity.Transitional arrangements for implementing policies in the revised National Planning Policy Framework are set out in Annex 1 of it.

Communities and Local Government, what transitional arrangements she plans to put in place for (a) local authorities and (b) developers to adapt to the provisions on grey belt development in the new National Planning Policy Framework.

It is for individual local authorities to plan and make decisions regarding the locations of new development in their areas.The amount of development that occurs in any given Green Belt will depend on local circumstances. Where a local authority proposes to alter its Green Belt boundaries through a Local Plan, the revised draft Plan will be created in consultation with the local community and submitted for rigorous independent examination by planning inspectors prior to its adoption.Similarly, any planning application will be assessed in the light of policies in the adopted Plan, of relevant policy in the National Planning Policy Framework, and of all other factors the decision-makers find relevant to a particular planning case and its location, including the evidenced concerns of local people.We have been clear that development on grey belt must be sustainable and we have introduced new Golden Rules to ensure that development benefits communities and nature. Our reforms to Green Belt policy do not lessen existing policy obligations to protect designated areas and minimise impacts on biodiversity.Transitional arrangements for implementing policies in the revised National Planning Policy Framework are set out in Annex 1 of it.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024, what her Department’s timescales are for implementing the provisions relating to paragraphs (a) 148 and (b) 155 on grey belt land development.

The policies in paragraphs 148 and 155 of the revised National Planning Policy Framework came into effect on the day of publication, 12 December 2024.Transitional arrangements in relation to the implementation of these policies are set out in Annex 1.Further guidance to help local authorities review their Green Belt and identify grey belt land, will be published in the coming weeks.

What assessment he has made of the (a) financial and (b) social impact of hospices on the (i) health and (ii) social care sectors.

Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life, and their loved ones.Palliative and end of life care are broad, holistic approaches, provided through a range of professionals and providers, and generalists and specialists across the NHS, social care, and voluntary sector organisations, including hospices. Therefore, the financial and social impacts of hospices on the broader health and care sectors are difficult to measure because the relevant consultations and tasks are not always coded as palliative or end of life care.We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices, to ensure they have the best physical environment for care, and £26 million of revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices. We will set out the details of the funding allocation and dissemination in the coming weeks.I am meeting with the major hospice and palliative and end of life care stakeholders early in February 2025 to discuss potential solutions on longer-term sector sustainability.

What estimate she has made of the number of pending pension credit applications as of 21 December 2024.

Outstanding Pension Credit claims totalled 92,400 at the end of week commencing 23rd December 2024. This includes 8,500 advanced claims. Advanced claims are where the application can be started up to 4 months before reaching State Pension age. The most recent available information shows 74,000 claims outstanding at the end of week commencing 13 January 2025. This includes 8,700 advanced claims. Please note, the data shown is unpublished management information, collected and intended for internal departmental use and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the use of grey belt land on the Green Belt.

The definition of grey belt, for the purposes of plan-making and decision-making, is provided in the glossary of the revised National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024.The Framework also makes clear that before concluding that exceptional circumstances exist to justify changes to Green Belt boundaries, the relevant authority should be able to demonstrate that it has examined fully all other reasonable options for meeting its identified need for development.Where it is necessary to release Green Belt land for development, plans should give priority to previously developed land, then consider grey belt land that has not been previously developed, and then other Green Belt locations. Guidance to assist authorities in assessing their Green Belt and identifying grey belt will be published in the coming weeks.The amount of development that occurs in any given Green Belt will depend on local circumstances and it is for local planning authorities to assess whether Green Belt land should be released. However, the Framework makes clear that, where grey belt land is identified, it should be brought forward for development only where this is sustainable. New ‘golden rules’ will be applied to ensure that development benefits communities and nature.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the National Planning Policy Framework, published in December 2024, how grey belt is defined for the purposes of (a) plan-making and (b) decision-making.

The definition of grey belt, for the purposes of plan-making and decision-making, is provided in the glossary of the revised National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024.The Framework also makes clear that before concluding that exceptional circumstances exist to justify changes to Green Belt boundaries, the relevant authority should be able to demonstrate that it has examined fully all other reasonable options for meeting its identified need for development.Where it is necessary to release Green Belt land for development, plans should give priority to previously developed land, then consider grey belt land that has not been previously developed, and then other Green Belt locations. Guidance to assist authorities in assessing their Green Belt and identifying grey belt will be published in the coming weeks.The amount of development that occurs in any given Green Belt will depend on local circumstances and it is for local planning authorities to assess whether Green Belt land should be released. However, the Framework makes clear that, where grey belt land is identified, it should be brought forward for development only where this is sustainable. New ‘golden rules’ will be applied to ensure that development benefits communities and nature.

With reference to paragraph 2.40 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the increase in Employer National Insurance contributions on West Midlands Police (a) staffing revenue budgets, (b) staffing levels and (c) non-staffing revenue budgets.

As set out at the final police funding settlement on 30 January, overall funding for policing will total up to £19.6 billion in 2025-26, an increase of up to £1.1 billion when compared to the 2024-25 settlement.Total funding to police forces will be up to £17.5 billion, an increase of up to £1.1 billion compared to the 2024/25 police funding settlement. This equates to a 6.6% cash increase, and 4.1% real terms increase in funding.The 2025-26 provisional police funding settlement provides an additional £230.3 million to support territorial police forces with the increase to the changes to employer National Insurance Contributions as set out by the Chancellor in the Autumn Budget.Based on the provisional police funding settlement, in 2025-26, West Midlands will receive funding of up to £ 844.5 million, an increase of £54.1 million compared to 2024-5. This includes £11.6 million towards covering the costs of the employer National Insurance Contributions increase.Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are the locally elected and democratically accountable official for policing in their area, and it is up to PCCs to decide how to balance their expenditure on their policing and crime priorities based on their local knowledge and experience.

Communities and Local Government, what criteria local authorities are expected to apply when identifying land categorised as grey belt.

The definition of grey belt, for the purposes of plan-making and decision-making, is provided in the glossary of the revised National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024.The Framework also makes clear that before concluding that exceptional circumstances exist to justify changes to Green Belt boundaries, the relevant authority should be able to demonstrate that it has examined fully all other reasonable options for meeting its identified need for development.Where it is necessary to release Green Belt land for development, plans should give priority to previously developed land, then consider grey belt land that has not been previously developed, and then other Green Belt locations. Guidance to assist authorities in assessing their Green Belt and identifying grey belt will be published in the coming weeks.The amount of development that occurs in any given Green Belt will depend on local circumstances and it is for local planning authorities to assess whether Green Belt land should be released. However, the Framework makes clear that, where grey belt land is identified, it should be brought forward for development only where this is sustainable. New ‘golden rules’ will be applied to ensure that development benefits communities and nature.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the UK’s annual spend is on International Climate Finance by country.

In line with our international obligations the details of our annual International Climate Finance (ICF) spend are published through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, including by recipient country or region. Previous data covering 2019 and 2020 ICF spend can be found here: https://unfccc.int/BR5. Supporting data submitted as part of the First Biennial Transparency Report under the Paris Agreement covering 2021 and 2022 is awaiting publication.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Cox's Bazar.

The UK has been actively engaged in addressing the humanitarian situation in Cox's Bazar, and closely monitoring levels of need and insecurity. We are a leading donor to the Rohingya response and have provided £405 million to support the Rohingya and host communities since 2017, including food provision, clean water, healthcare and protection services. During my visit to Bangladesh in November 2024, I announced that £10.3 million of humanitarian funding will go to Rohingya refugees and for disaster response. The UK regularly discusses the Rohingya refugee response with the Interim Government of Bangladesh. This includes ensuring new Rohingya arrivals are registered and can access humanitarian assistance.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions the Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief has had with international partners.

David Smith MP was announced as UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in December 2024. Since taking up the role in January, he has engaged a range of UK and international partners, individually and collectively through the Article 18 Alliance, to promote FoRB for all.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Bangladeshi counterpart on the recent reports of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.

The UK has a long-standing commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). Following the student-led protests in July and August 2024, we have been closely monitoring the situation for minorities in Bangladesh. In November 2024, I visited Bangladesh and discussed the importance of the protection of religious minorities with Chief Adviser Yunus. We are providing up to £27 million under the Bangladesh Collaborative, Accountable and Peaceful Politics programme for protecting civic and political space, fostering collaboration, reducing corruption, and mitigating tensions that lead to violence. We will continue to engage with the Interim Government of Bangladesh on the importance of FoRB.