Question

Asked by Alicia Kearns to Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 04 November 2026 — tabled under the Andy Burnham government

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he made representations to Pakistan last month following the brief shutting of Pakistani airspace to Taiwanese air traffic.

Answer

Answered by Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op))

The Foreign Secretary has not made representations to Pakistan on this issue, but we are monitoring developments. The UK's longstanding position on Taiwan is unchanged. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Verdict: GREEN (90/100)

The reply directly answers the one point asked: the Foreign Secretary has not made representations to Pakistan on this issue. It is clear and committed, so the person who asked should have what they need without having to ask again. The surrounding statements about monitoring and Taiwan policy are background context rather than answers to the question itself.

How we got there

Question itemCoverageSpecificityRationale
Whether the Secretary of State made representations to Pakistan about the brief closure of Pakistani airspace to Taiwanese air traffic last month. Addressed Direct The reply states plainly that the Foreign Secretary has not made representations to Pakistan on this issue, which is a direct, complete answer to whether representations were made. The Foreign Secretary is a Secretary of State, so the reply does not answer a different question, and the remaining statements about monitoring and Taiwan policy are supplementary context.

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