Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the Integrated Review and the Indo-Pacific

Select Committee
Foreign Affairs Committee HC 172 30 August 2023
Report Status Government responded
Conclusions & Recommendations 67 items (32 recs)
Source View on Parliament website
Government Response (AI assessment · 67 of 67 classified)
Accepted 16
Accepted in Part 12
Acknowledged 10
Deferred 20
Not Addressed 3
Rejected 6
Government response
Fourth Special Report - Tilting horizons: the Integrated Review and the Indo-Pacific – Government Response to the Committee’s Eighth Report of Session 2022–23 · published 22 Mar 2024
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Recommendations & Conclusions

6 results
1 Conclusion Rejected
Para 20
Government fails to define clear long-term objectives for its Indo-Pacific Tilt policy.
Conclusion
The Indo-Pacific Tilt served to confirm an existing trend of increasing engagement with countries in the Indo-Pacific region and demonstrated the intent of Government to persist with and deepen this engagement in the long term. However, there has been no … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the committee's assessment that it has not clearly set out its long-term objectives for the Indo-Pacific Tilt, citing previous Integrated Reviews and ministerial speeches, and states it is increasing strategic communications resources in the region.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
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20 Conclusion Rejected
Para 69
Explain rationale and method for separating contentious and cooperative issues with China.
Conclusion
We welcome the Government’s China policy statement in general terms in the Refresh. However, this policy now needs to be fleshed out so that practitioners such as academics and businesspeople can be fully aware of the limits within which they … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government states there is no need to publish an additional China Strategy to flesh out its policy, reiterating its existing approach of protecting national security, aligning with allies, and engaging where in UK interests, coordinated by the National Security Secretariat.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
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36 Conclusion Rejected
Para 108
Prioritising trade over human rights, enabling violations and consumer complicity, is unacceptable.
Conclusion
It is unacceptable that trade should be prioritised over human rights to the extent that states that regularly violate human rights can continue to do so unsanctioned and our consumers, wittingly or unwittingly, participate indirectly by buying products made in … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government explicitly disagrees with the committee's conclusion, stating that trade is not being prioritised over human rights and outlining existing measures to address human rights violations in supply chains.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
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49 Conclusion Rejected
Para 165
UK's "One China" policy requires better understanding across Whitehall for appropriate Taiwan engagement.
Conclusion
[The UK’s “One China” policy is not the same as China’s “One China” principle. Rather than agreeing to China’s claim to Taiwan, the UK, like other liberal democracies, merely acknowledges Beijing’s position.] This policy of acknowledgment needs to be better … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government explicitly disagrees with the recommendation, stating it does not intend to publish an additional China Strategy, as its approach is already outlined in the Integrated Review Refresh and the former Foreign Secretary’s Mansion House Speech.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
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51 Conclusion Rejected
Para 168
Identify meaningful activities and red lines for deterrence diplomacy to protect Taiwan's self-determination
Conclusion
The UK Government must identify meaningful activities, and red lines, that enable it to shape and pursue an effective policy of deterrence diplomacy to contribute to 72 Tilting horizons: the Integrated Review and the Indo-Pacific the protection of the right … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government explicitly disagrees with the recommendation, stating it will not publish an additional China Strategy to identify specific deterrence diplomacy activities or red lines for Taiwan, instead relying on its existing Integrated Review Refresh and Mansion House Speech approach to China.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
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63 Recommendation Rejected
Para 213
Set deadline for India-UK FTA and negotiate supply chain agreements with India.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government set a deadline for the early conclusion of negotiations on the India-UK FTA. Unless already included in the FTA, the Government should also consider negotiating agreements with India similar to the UK-Australia supply chain and … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government rejects setting a deadline for the India-UK FTA, stating it will only sign a deal in the UK's best interests. It acknowledges the importance of resilient supply chains and existing trade/cooperation with India on manufacturing, but does not commit to new specific agreements with India or address maritime security cooperation.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
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