Ben Obese-Jecty MP: written questions
Written questions by answering department
4 Jul 2025–3 Jul 2026. One record per UIN and tabled date; the named department is not a measure of answer quality.
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124 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Jonathan PowellForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14523More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date is Jonathan Powell’s role as Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for negotiations between the UK and Mauritius on the exercise of sovereignty over the British Indian
Answer: Mr Powell ceased his role as BIOT envoy when he was appointed to his new role as the National Security Adviser (NSA) on 8 November 2024.
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordUSA: Diplomatic ServiceForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12607More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress she has made in filling the post of Chargé d'Affaires and Deputy Head of Mission in the US.
Answer: The appointment of a Deputy Head of Mission to the British Embassy in Washington will be confirmed in due course in the normal way. The individual in question would only be appointed as Chargé d'Affaires if there was a temporary vacancy in the role of Amb...
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordJonathan PowellForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12326More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what meetings took place between Jonathan Powell and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office civil servants from the Overseas Territories and Polar Directorate between 5
Answer: As part of his role as the PM's Special Envoy on BIOT, Jonathan Powell had meetings with Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials from the Overseas Territories and Polar Directorate on 2 August 2024, 30 August 2024 and 4 September 2024. Thes...
Answered 30 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordJonathan PowellForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12325More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Jonathan Powell visited China on Departmental business between 5 July and 8 November 2024.
Answer: Jonathan Powell was appointed as National Security Adviser subsequent to the period specified. While he was appointed BIOT Envoy in August, he did not visit China in relation to this role during the specified period.
Answered 30 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMembers: CorrespondenceForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 10060More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, by when will his Department respond to the FOI request from the Hon. Member for Huntingdon from 23 April 2026.
Answer: The Department apologises for the delay in responding to the Hon Member for Huntingdon. Officials are working on finalising a response and expect it to be with the Hon Member shortly.
Answered 23 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRussia: ShippingForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 9409More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2026 to Question 6167 on Russia: Shipping, what assessment has he made of the potential merits of exercising the right of visit on Russian Sh
Answer: In the early morning of 14 June, Royal Marines and Specialised Law enforcement Officers boarded a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker - SMYRTOS - in the English Channel. This was a UK-sanctioned vessel, that had transited the UK territorial sea without a legi...
Answered 19 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6565More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 June 2026 to Question 3899 on Diego Garcia: Military Bases, what progress he has made with the United States and with Mauritius on the way forward
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer mentioned in his question. Future updates will be provided to the House in the normal way in due course.
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRussia: ShippingForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6167More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 1 June 2026 to Question 2959 on Shipping: Russia, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of interdicting Russian Shadow Fleet ve
Answer: Article 110 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea provides States with the Right of Visit in certain limited situations with regard to vessels encountered beyond a State's territorial waters. It does not provide this right within the territorial sea ...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRussia: ShippingForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6166More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 1 June 2026 to question 2959 on Shipping: Russia, what regulations within the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 are applicable to the mar
Answer: Sanctions enforcement can be taken, including with respect to vessels, by various domestic enforcement bodies under powers in the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 and the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSyria: DetaineesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 5124More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many ISIS-linked British nationals are detained in camps in Syria.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 6 February 2025 in response to Question 27530.
Answered 3 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSyria: DetaineesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 5123More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which Syrian detainment camps are holding British nationals by a) the number held in each camp, b) gender and c) adult status.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 6 February 2025 in response to Question 27530.
Answered 3 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordIan CollardForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4881More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what reason her Department declined an invitation for Ian Collard, Director of Security, to give oral evidence to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee in April 2026.
Answer: It is standard practice for government departments to agree with parliamentary committees the process by which evidence will be given by ministers and serving officials, and it is then for the committee in question to state whether they are satisfied that...
Answered 5 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordNational SecurityForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3896More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Fourth Report of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy of Session 2024-26 on The National Security Strategy, HC 1045, published on 27 Ma
Answer: The EU is a key actor in countering hybrid threats, assisting its members to strengthen resilience, facilitate information sharing and provide practical support. The UK and EU undertook to hold strategic consultations on hybrid threats as part of the 2025...
Answered 1 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordNational SecurityForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2226More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the fourth report of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, CP1338, published on 24 June 2025, what six-monthly foreign and security policy
Answer: The UK EU Security and Defence Partnership provides for regular foreign and security policy dialogue at ministerial and senior official level. Since May 2025, this has included high level dialogues in October 2025 and March 2026 covering a broad range of ...
Answered 26 May 2026
Original Parliament recordDiego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory BillForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 14 May 2026AnsweredUIN 1531More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much money has been saved from her Department's budget as a result of the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill not completing its passage in
Answer: No payments are due under the terms of the UK-Mauritius agreement until the Treaty has been ratified. Full details of the proposed payments have already been published in the Explanatory Memorandum accompanying the Treaty.
Answered 21 May 2026
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 1019More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Gordon Brown held discussions with the government of Mauritius in 2009 during which the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands was raised.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 9 February to Question 109314.
Answered 20 May 2026
Original Parliament recordSyria: Islamic StateForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 1018More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 27 April 2026, to Question 125343 on Syria: Islamic State, what is the full scope of the “closer work together on returns” that was discussed
Answer: On 31 March, the Prime Minister welcomed Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa on his first official visit to the UK. Details of his discussions with the PM and other UK Government interlocutors were included in the press notice released on 31 March and discus...
Answered 19 May 2026
Original Parliament recordJonathan PowellForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 23 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129513More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the news story entitled Jonathan Powell appointed as Special Envoy for BIOT negotiations, published on 6 September 2024, whether the phrase He will begin hi
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 March in response to Question 118787.
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Public AppointmentsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129319More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 2404 on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Public Appointments, on what dates her predecessor met with Jonat
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on 11, 18 and 19 March in response to Questions 117954, 118781 and 119899.
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Public AppointmentsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129318More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 2404 on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Public Appointments, on what date did her predecessor a) appoint
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on 11, 18 and 19 March in response to Questions 117954, 118781 and 119899.
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordJonathan PowellForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129316More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Jonathan Powell was interviewed for the role of the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for negotiations between the UK and Mauritius on the exercise of sovereignty over t
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on 11, 18 and 19 March in response to Questions 117954, 118781 and 119899.
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordJonathan PowellForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129315More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when Jonathan Powell was appointed as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for negotiations between the UK and Mauritius on the exercise of sovereignty over the BIOT; and what
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on 11, 18 and 19 March in response to Questions 117954, 118781 and 119899.
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordLord MandelsonForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129039More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date did Lord Mandelson (a) submit his application for STRAP clearance and (b) receive that clearance.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 21 April, and his answers to the questions raised in response, including his commitment that the Government would continue to comply with the instructions of Parliament in the Humble Ad...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordLord MandelsonForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129037More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date did Lord Mandelson receive STRAP level access.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 21 April, and his answers to the questions raised in response, including his commitment that the Government would continue to comply with the instructions of Parliament in the Humble Ad...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordFalkland Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 14 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127191More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of calls by the President of Argentina on 2 April 2026 for renewed negotiations with the UK over t
Answer: No such assessment is required. The UK's steadfast support for the Falkland Islanders' right of self‑determination remains unchanged, and our position on sovereignty and the defence of the Falkland Islands remains equally steadfast and consistent.
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
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