Priti Patel MP: written questions
377 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Pakistan: TerrorismForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 19 May 2025AnsweredUIN 53035More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he had discussions with his counterpart in Pakistan on (a) terrorist infrastructure and (b) plans to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan during his visit o
Answer: The UK and Pakistan share a strong mutual interest in countering terrorism. We are committed to working together to combat the terrorist threat and the extremism that sustains it. During his meeting with his Pakistani counterpart on 16 May, the Foreign Se...
Answered 2 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyTreasuryTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51115More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has (a) received representations and (b) held discussions with the (i) Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, (ii) Ministry of Defence and (iii) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
Answer: The Chancellor has regular discussions with cabinet colleagues on a wide range of issues. The agreement with Mauritius was led by the Foreign Secretary who engaged Cabinet colleagues in the usual way.
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Protection: International CooperationForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 8 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50844More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on proposals for an ecocide law.
Answer: Tackling the climate and nature emergency is a priority for this Government. The UK has strong regulations to protect the environment and contravention of many of these is a criminal offence. At the international level, we are aware of the proposal by Van...
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordMauritius: Diplomatic RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 8 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50843More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of the costs of diplomatic engagement with Mauritius since 5 July 2024.
Answer: We are unable to provide an estimate of the overall costs of diplomatic engagement with any single country. Diplomatic engagement takes place through a range of different activities and forums, and may include bilateral in-person engagement, virtual meeti...
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: RedundancyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 8 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50842More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 45603 on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Redundancy, what estimate he has made of the annual salary cost sav
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has estimated that the Voluntary Exit Scheme could result in annual savings of £35-40 million. The Scheme is still in progress, with exits taking place by the end of this Financial Year. We do not yet know ...
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 8 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50841More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what dates Mauritian negotiators have met with officials to discuss the future sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory since July 2024.
Answer: Discussions between the UK and Mauritius on securing the vital base on Diego Garcia and on the future exercise of sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory remain ongoing. It is not appropriate to provide a running commentary on engagement betwe...
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChina: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 8 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50840More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2025 to Question 36633 on China: Audit, when he plans to publish the China Audit; which Departments he has had discussions with on that aud
Answer: The China Audit will conclude shortly. In line with the Government's manifesto commitment, the Audit has involved extensive consultations with hundreds of individuals, organisations, academic institutions, businesses and public bodies, including all centr...
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: Humanitarian AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 8 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50839More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much UK funded aid is awaiting entry into Gaza.
Answer: UK aid includes both goods and services delivered through UN agencies and international Non-Governmental Organizations. Quantifying how much is awaiting entry into Gaza is difficult, due to the complex operating environment and limited real-time data. On ...
Answered 2 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHamasForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 8 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50838More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Hamas have links with (a) other proscribed terrorist groups and (b) Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Answer: The UK assesses Hamas in its entirety to be concerned in terrorism and therefore as of 26 November 2021 has proscribed the organisation in full. The UK condemns Hamas' continued attacks against civilians which are unacceptable and unjustifiable. It is ent...
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChagossian Trust FundForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 8 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50837More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 May 2025 given to Question 48885 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Development Aid, whether (a) British Chagossians will be represented in the go
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon Member to the response given to her previous Question 32980 on the details of the Treaty.
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Public ExpenditureForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48891More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department spent on on (a) business hospitality, (b) grant in aid to arms length bodies, (c) recruitment, (d) transport equipment costs, (e) travel and (f) IT an
Answer: The department spend for 2024/25 is still subject to audit and therefore may change. At the time of responding, we estimate the spend to be:ABusiness Hospitality£10.5 millionCRecruitment£1.2 millionDTransport equipment£6.4 millionETravel£84.9 millionFIT a...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48890More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many Government officials have been involved in the negotiations with Mauritius over the proposed treaty on the future sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory s
Answer: It would be difficult to assess how many officials are working on the negotiations, given that we do not record and measure the amount of time spent on any one topic where an official covers a range of matters.
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48889More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what mechanisms are in place for the (a) renewal and (b) changes to the costs of the proposed lease with Mauritius towards the end of the initial 99-year period.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon Member to the response given to her previous Question 39402 on the details of the Treaty.
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48888More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether (a) inflation measures and (b) indexation methodology has been included in the proposed treaty with Mauritius.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon Member to the response given to her previous Question 39402 on the details of the Treaty.
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48887More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of potential challenges to resettling parts of the Chagos Archipelago.
Answer: Our agreement will enable Mauritius to develop a programme of resettlement on the islands, other than Diego Garcia. The terms of resettlement will be for Mauritius to determine.
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48886More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish his response to the representations his Department has received from Chagossians on the potential resettlement of parts of the Chagos Archipelago under the
Answer: We will engage with Chagossians in the UK, and around the world on the implementation of the agreement at both an official and Ministerial level. We do not provide a running commentary on correspondence that is sent to individuals or organisations by Mini...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChagossian Trust FundForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48885More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress he has made on the (a) capitalisation of the proposed Chagossian Trust Fund, (b) developing the governance arrangements for he proposed Chagossian Trust Fund an
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon Member to the response given to her previous Parliamentary Question 39402 on the details of the Treaty.
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordNationally Significant Infrastructure ProjectsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47654More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 23 April 2025 entitled Further reforms to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime, HCWS594, which project
Answer: Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) applications once accepted by the Planning Inspectorate are being processed on average 50 days quicker in this Parliament than in the last. This was calculated using the average time taken by projects ...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordRussia: UkraineForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47653More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of reports of China's involvement in support of Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
Answer: Any support for Putin's brutal and illegal war against Ukraine is deplorable. We are extremely concerned by these reports. There is a growing body of evidence that Chinese companies are enabling Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine.The Foreign Secretary h...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChina: Foreign Influence Registration SchemeForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47652More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Home Secretary on the potential merits of placing China in the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.
Answer: No decision has been made in relation to specifying China on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. As the Security Minister confirmed in Parliament on 1 April, countries are considered separately, and decisions are made based on ...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47651More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Question v of the letter of 25 March 2025 from the Minister for the Indo-Pacific to the Chair of the International Agreements Committee on Treaty scrutiny,
Answer: As we have repeatedly said, once an agreement is reached and the Treaty is signed, the Treaty will be put before both Houses for scrutiny under the CRaG process in the usual way.
Answered 2 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47650More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the 21 day scrutiny period for his proposed Treaty with Mauritius over the future sovereignty of the Britis
Answer: This issue was the subject of correspondence between the Secretary of State and the Chair of the International Agreements Committee, which was published on the Committee's website: committees.parliament.uk/publications/46222/documents/231382/default/
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47649More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the oral contribution by the then Minister for Development on 26 February 2025, Official Report, column 873, who the 28 international judges and arbitrators
Answer: As well as the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion in 2019, an Arbitral Tribunal under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in 2015 and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in 2021 have considered the sovereignty of the Chagos ...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChildren: AbductionForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45608More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Polish counterpart on improving cooperation in (a) cross-border family law cases and (b) cases involving parental child abduction; and wh
Answer: This Government takes International Parental Child Abduction (IPCA) extremely seriously. As a signatory to the 1980 Hague Convention, the UK remains committed to the effective enforcement of court orders requiring a child's return to their place of habitu...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45607More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which representatives of the Mauritian government his Department has had discussions with on the proposed treaty since July 2024.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the response given to her previous Parliamentary Question 36637, which remains the same.
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record
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