Select committee: Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 6
2nd Report - The write to protect: Britain’s pen on the world stage
Published 21 Sep 2025
Addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Foreign Affairs Committee The UK at the United Nations Security Council All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
The Government should adapt to the changing conflict environment, recognising the existing geopolitical realities of conflict resolution, whilst continuing to push for multilateral efforts where possible. The Government should enhance its bilateral partnerships with Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as well as Turkey, whilst ensuring it upholds its commitment to a rules- based international order. The Government should also leverage its relationships with regional groupings including the Gulf Cooperation Council, the African Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. We call upon the Government to ensure that the UK is in the room during these conversations and driving the agenda forward, drawing upon its expertise in diplomacy and stabilisation, and ensuring that British values, and those embedded universally within the United Nations, are furthered. It is imperative that the Government continues to invest resources in these diplomatic posts and in our representatives to these organisations. (Recommendation, Paragraph 43)
From: Foreign Affairs Committee, 2nd Report - The write to protect: Britain’s pen on the world stage (HC 930), 21 September 2025
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 1 December 2025 (deadline 21 November 2025).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government marks most recommendations "Agree", "Partially agree" on some, and "Disagree" on three, including co-penholding and mandated Myanmar reporting.
- On co-penholding (Recommendation 10) it says "Disagree", stating that "co-penning is not appropriate for every agenda item" and it does not agree the UK should take a "one size fits all" approach.
- On ODA (Recommendation 7) it "Partially agree"s. It remains committed to restoring 0.7% of GNI "as soon as the fiscal circumstances allow", but says it is "not possible" to commit to ringfencing any future spend.
- On Myanmar (Recommendation 15) it says "Disagree". It recognises the call for mandated, more regular reporting but says there is "not yet the requisite support across the UN Security Council", including among the permanent members.
- On Somalia (Recommendation 18) it "Partially agree"s and says a new "joint fund" mechanism "would likely encounter similar challenges". It announced £16.5 million to AUSSOM.