Following the announcement of a General Election on the 4 July 2024, publication of the refreshed UK Government Strategy for the Overseas Territories has to be deferred.

The UK has worked to support the development of an open, democratic society in Georgia for many years. The Minister of state for Europe discussed issues relating to civil and political rights with the Georgian Ambassador most recently on 2 and 14 May. Her predecessor raised these and a range of other issues with Georgian counterparts during a visit to Tbilisi in November 2023.

We closely monitor the political and security situation in the breakaway regions of Georgia. In statements at the UN, Council of Europe and Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the UK has repeatedly condemned Russia's illegal presence and 'borderisation' tactics, as well as the Russification of the regions, including through the proposed Russian naval base at Ochamchire and through economic means. The UK fully supports Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, including the breakaway territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, in the face of continued hybrid aggression from Russia.

The UK strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the three states that make up the South Caucasus region. The UK welcomes recent peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the agreed progress on the delimitation of their international border. We wish to see a lasting and sustainable peace settlement reached as soon as possible and stand ready to support this process. The UK remains a close supporter of Georgian democracy and Euro-Atlantic aspirations in line with the will of the Georgian people and stands with Georgia against Russian hybrid pressure.

The UK works closely with international partners to counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), including Russian-linked disinformation in the Caucasus, Moldova and Western Balkans. We work with partner governments, international organisations, civil society and media organisations to counter these diverse and evolving threats, which deepen grievances and fractures within communities. The UK will provide up to £13.5 million of support this year to facilitate the identification of, and responses to, the diverse threats arising from FIMI. The Minister of State for Europe is presently in the Western Balkans and raising this issue directly with counterparts.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, working with other UK Government departments, is leading the development of a refreshed strategy for the Overseas Territories (OTs) to be published in 2024. The strategy will set clear direction and renewed aims for the UK Government across each of the following themes: economies, environment and climate, defence and security, governance, and communities. As set out in the December 2023 UK-OT Joint Declaration, the strategy is being developed through collaboration with the Territories. Consultations across the strategy themes are ongoing and are being delivered through engagement with OT governments, the OTs' representatives in the UK, Governors, and other key stakeholders.

We regularly discuss the security of the North Atlantic and Arctic with Allies and Partners, including through NATO and the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force. The Government's Arctic Policy Framework, Looking North: The UK and the Arctic, complemented by the UK's Defence Contribution in the High North, set out the UK's aspiration for a safe, secure and peaceful region. We will continue to work with Allies and Partners to ensure the long-term security and stability of the region.

We regularly discuss NATO partnerships with Allies. The Partnership for Peace Programme allows partners to build up an individual relationship with NATO. We are working with Allies to explore ways to strengthen cooperation to address global security challenges, such as support to Ukraine, cyber defence, countering hybrid activities and emerging and disruptive technologies.

The British Embassy in Tbilisi reports regularly on developments in Georgia. The UK is committed to supporting a vibrant civil society in Georgia, which is an essential attribute of a healthy democracy. I discussed this and a range of other issues with the Georgian Ambassador on 17 April.

A secure Black Sea and freedom of navigation for commercial shipping is essential to regional stability and global food security. The UK has prioritised support for this region, which is why within the past year the Foreign Secretary and his predecessor have visited all the countries mentioned to discuss these very issues. The Minister for Europe discussed regional security at the Moldova-UK Strategic Dialogue on 30 April.

The UK is at the forefront of building Ukraine's future maritime security through our joint leadership of the Maritime Capability Coalition alongside Norway. This is significantly uplifting Ukraine's naval capacity and creating a greater balance of power in the Black Sea.

Along with the EU, US and Japan, the UK has published a list of 50 sensitive technologies and other items Russia is most actively seeking to procure via third countries. Working closely with G7 partners, we have stepped up our engagement with third countries to address circumvention risks, including sending joint delegations to the UAE, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, and Armenia, to highlight risks and offer technical support. HMG is also setting up the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation, which will boost the enforcement and implementation of UK trade sanctions.

The agenda for the Summit will be set out in due course. The UK-hosted meeting will come at an important moment in efforts to galvanise support for Ukraine. It will also focus on how to work together to grapple with the common challenge of illegal migration across the continent, as well as other issues of shared concern. We are consulting with all European Political Community partners including Hungary as the next hosts.

We continue to work closely with allies to explore all lawful routes by which immobilised Russian sovereign assets can be used to support Ukraine consistent with our respective legal systems and international law. G7 Leaders reaffirmed this on 24 February, instructing relevant ministries to continue their work to that end and report back ahead of the G7 Summit in June. We will keep the House updated on significant developments, as appropriate.

The FCDO has published announcements of changes to HM Ambassadors (HMA), High Commissioners (HC) and Heads of Mission planned for 2024 where His Majesty The King has approved and agrément by the host government has been granted. Details of changes are not published before these processes conclude. Any future HMA, HC and Head of Mission appointments would be announced following appropriate recruitment and approval processes concluding. Deputy head of mission (DHM) appointments are not formally announced.

The FCDO does not hold the responsibility for reporting on the numbers and location of other government department staff or those from devolved administrations co-located in UK embassies and high commissions. Each government department and devolved administration holds the responsibility to report on their own staff numbers.

Overseas, DBT (Department for Business and Trade) provide expert advice in support of UK exports and investment and the implementation of free trade agreements. DBT play an important role in delivery of HMG international priorities including promoting trade and investment and furthering economic and trade ties.

The UK welcomes the recent discussions between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the agreed progress on the delimitation of their international border, based on the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration. We encourage both parties to continue their open and constructive dialogue in order to finalise a lasting peace agreement. The UK stands ready to support them in doing so, alongside our international partners.

The UK has provided £1 million to the Red Cross movement to provide life-saving medication, healthcare and other essential support to those affected by September's conflict. We also provided further medical assistance to survivors in Armenia in partnership with UK-Med, including medical supplies to the National Centre for Burns and Dermatology. We are liaising with the UN, the Red Cross movement and others to further assess humanitarian need in the region.

We meet the devolved authorities regularly to make sure that all our strategies are in sync. Obviously, a lot of these policy areas, whether health, housing or education, are devolved, but we are clear that, both nationally and internationally, we want the Office for Veterans’ Affairs to set the standard. We have great relationships internationally now in terms of setting the pace on that, and I want to make sure it is concomitant with what we are doing with the devolved authorities: we have regular meetings with the Welsh Government and the Scottish, and indeed we are going over to Northern Ireland again in two weeks.

The plan we have put in place is working, but there is more to do. The hon. Gentleman highlighted statistics that, as he will accept, I acknowledged from the Dispatch Box. We believe that our approach to tackling violence and to conflict resolution in our youth estate is right, and we will continue to press forward with it to reduce rates of assault on our hard-working and dedicated prison officers and staff.

The number of children in custody has fallen by nearly 70% in the last decade, but that means that those in custody are more complex; 71% of them are detained for violent offences. Although the rate of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults declined by 7% between July and September 2023, compared with the same period in 2022, the rate of assaults on staff increased. That is why all sites have a safety strategy reflecting local drivers of violence. That includes tackling the use of weapons,

and training staff in conflict resolution. Much has been done, but there continues to be more to do, and we remain focused on doing it.