Mark Francois MP: written questions
604 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Kneecap: CompensationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47173More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he had discussions with Cabinet colleagues prior to the decision not to contest a compensation payment to the band Kneecap following their exclusion from the Music Export Growth Scheme.
Answer: There were no discussions with Cabinet colleagues prior to the decision by the Secretary of State for Business and Trade not to contest the claim brought by Kneecap for review of the decision not to award them a grant under the Music Export Growth Scheme.
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46691More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Chagossian diaspora in (a) the Seychelles, (b) Mauritius and (c) other areas are actively (i) consulted and (ii) included in decisi
Answer: The negotiations were between the UK and Mauritius with our priority being to secure the continued security of and full operation of the base on Diego Garcia. However, we have worked hard to ensure this agreement reflects the importance of the islands to ...
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Defence: Written QuestionsMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46690More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to respond to Question 41390 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty tabled by the hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford on 26 March 2025.
Answer: I responded to the right hon. Member on 23 April 2025.
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBoeing E-7: RadarMinistry of DefenceTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46689More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to replace the Multi-role Electronically Scanned-Array radar on the E-7A Wedgetail fleet with a US-developed replacement.
Answer: There are no plans to replace the existing Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array radar currently fitted on the UK E-7 Wedgetail Fleet.
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordTrade Agreements: ChinaDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45470More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security held discussions on (a) UK-China trade relations, (b) economic security and (c) any (i) existing and (ii) proposed commercial agreements duri
Answer: During my visit to China, I held frank and honest discussions with my counterparts on the opportunities and challenges in the bilateral trade relationship, including improving overall reciprocity in market access, raising UK concerns on level playing fiel...
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHuman Rights: ChinaDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45469More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security had discussions with his international counterpart on (a) the detention of Jimmy Lai and (b) human rights abuses during his recent visit to C
Answer: During my recent visit to China and Hong Kong, I raised the UK’s concerns over human rights abuses, including in Xinjiang and the detention of Jimmy Lai with counterparts at the Ministry of Commerce and the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrati...
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChina: Visits AbroadMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45468More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department (a) authorised and (b) requested the Chief of Defence staff's recent meeting with representatives of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.
Answer: The Chief of the Defence Staff’s meeting was arranged between the UK’s Ministry of Defence and China’s Office for International Military Cooperation of the Central Military Commission. It was authorised by His Majesty’s Government.
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChina: Visits AbroadMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45467More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Chief of Defence Staff discussed the Chagos Islands base during his recent visit to China.
Answer: The Chief of the Defence Staff met with Gen Liu Zhenli Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Liberation Army. They discussed a range of security issues and agreed that in an unstable world we must ...
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordImport Duties: USADepartment for Business and TradeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45466More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled Request for input on potential UK measures in response to US tariff, whether (a) lethal and (b) non-lethal police firearms are classified as militar
Answer: We encourage responses to the request for input from all organisations that think their imports could be affected by any potential UK tariffs on a particular commodity code.Lethal and non-lethal firearms under CN 93039000 are not classified as military we...
Answered 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45465More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has received formal representations from the Government of Mauritius on additional financial compensation under the proposed Chagos Islands agreement.
Answer: The overall quantum of the cost of the deal has not changed from what was originally negotiated under the previous Mauritian Prime Minister.
Answered 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic ExpenditureTreasuryTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44919More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any revised financial commitments related to the Chagos negotiations will be included in the Comprehensive Spending Review.
Answer: The FCDO and the MOD are the lead departments for this agreement. Any financial obligations, including departmental budgetary responsibilities, will be managed responsibly within the government’s fiscal framework through the upcoming Spending Review.
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordUnmanned Air SystemsMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44918More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department plans to retire the Royal Air Force’s MQ-9A Reaper drones; and whether he plans to donate any of those drones to Ukraine.
Answer: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 March 2025 to Question 38649.There are no plans to donate any MQ-9A Reaper Remotely Piloted Air Systems to Ukraine.
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordStrategic Defence Review: Public AppointmentsMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44917More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there have been any amendments to the (a) duration, (b) remuneration and (c) other contractual terms of the six additional senior-level experts added to the Strategic Defence Review team since the commenc
Answer: The six leading figures supporting the external reviewers continue to support the delivery of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR). The SDR-which will be published in the Spring-will ensure the United Kingdom is both secure at home and strong abroad, now an...
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordStrategic Defence Review: Public AppointmentsMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44916More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 36052 on Strategic Defence Review: Contracts, whether there have been any amendments to the (a) duration, (b) remuneration and (c) other contractual terms of (i)
Answer: The external review team continue to support the delivery of this crucial piece of work. The Strategic Defence Review-which will be published in the Spring-will ensure the United Kingdom is both secure at home and strong abroad, now and for the years to c...
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordStrategic Defence ReviewMinistry of DefenceTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44405More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Strategic Defence Review will be published before the Comprehensive Spending Review on the 11th June.
Answer: As the Prime Minister explained in his Defence and Security statement to the House of Commons, the Strategic Defence Review is in an advanced state. The Review will be published in the Spring, and will set strategic direction for Defence for the next deca...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDiego Garcia: Military BasesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44208More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Treaty of Pelindaba, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the transfer of sovereignty over Diego Garcia to Mauritius on re
Answer: As with his previous PQ 44207, I refer the Hon Member to the response given to his PQ 18902, which remains the same.
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDiego Garcia: Military BasesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44207More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Treaty of Pelindaba, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the transfer of sovereignty over Diego Garcia to Mauritius on th
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the response given to his earlier PQ 18902, which remains the same.
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43426More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how he plans to (a) monitor and (b) enforce the prohibition on the presence of foreign security forces on the outer Chagos islands.
Answer: I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave to the Urgent Question on the British Indian Ocean Territory on 2 April 2025.
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDiego GarciaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43425More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that activities on the outer Chagos islands do not impact the operation of Diego Garcia.
Answer: I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave to the Urgent Question on the British Indian Ocean Territory on 2 April 2025.
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Defence: Written QuestionsMinistry of DefenceTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43424More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to respond to Question 36052 on Strategic Defence Review: Contracts, tabled on 6 March 2025 by the Rt hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford.
Answer: I responded to the right hon. Member on 3 April 2025.
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42423More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what reason the Chagos Islands agreement was not finalised in early March 2025.
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the response given to his previous Question 41388, which remains the same.
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordInternational Court of Justice: Public AppointmentsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42422More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what criteria was used to select Dapo Akande KC to represent Britain at the International Court of Justice in the 2026 election.
Answer: Members of the Permanent Court of Arbitration from each contracting State form "National Groups". Under the International Court of Justice (ICJ) statute, national groups are entitled to nominate candidates for election to the ICJ and should cons...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Legal OpinionForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42421More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether (a) Philippe Sands and (b) Dapo Akande have provided external legal advice to his Department since 4 July 2024.
Answer: It is not normal practice to comment on the provision of external legal advice. However, in this case we can confirm that neither Philippe Sands KC nor Professor Dapo Akande have provided external legal advice to the FCDO since 4 July 2024.
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHMS Northumberland and Type 26 FrigatesMinistry of DefenceTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41800More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of retiring HMS Northumberland on the Royal Navy’s operational capacity; and what steps he is taking to support the Royal Navy until the Type 26 fri
Answer: I refer the right hon. Member to the response provided by the Minister for the Armed Forces (Luke Pollard) to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge) on 10 December 2024 to Question 17147.
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChallenger Tanks: Repairs and MaintenanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41799More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the Challenger 3 remains competitive against (a) Russia’s T-14 Armata and (b) other emerging threats; and whether he plans to upgrade the (i) firepower and
Answer: The Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank will deliver a significant improvement in capability over its predecessor, the Challenger 2. Enhancements include a digitalised turret fitted with the latest 120mm smoothbore gun paired with the most lethal ammunition ava...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record
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