Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans the Government has to bring forward a new UK Aid Strategy.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The Integrated Review, announced by the Prime Minister and expected to conclude later in the year, will define the Government's ambition for the UK's role in the world. Its outcomes will shape the objectives including for overseas development spending.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to assess the potential effect on developing countries of the UK's future relationship with the EU.
Answered by Wendy Morton
Leaving the EU does not change the UK’s commitment to supporting the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. Nor does it mean the UK and EU have stopped working together to alleviate global poverty and tackle shared global challenges. The UK frequently works alongside a range of development partners where we have a shared common goal.
As a Member State, the UK spent approximately 10% of all Official Development Assistance (ODA) through the EU each year. Going forward we will be able to make our own decisions about where, when and how we invest that money. Ministers will take decisions on ODA funding through normal departmental processes and bids to the Spending Review, in line with the conclusions of the Integrated Review. The Government remains committed to the 0.7% ODA/GNI target.
We will also continue to ensure development and global prosperity are at the heart of UK trade and investment policy. For example, we will look to improving our trade preferences scheme to create more trading opportunities for around 70 developing countries. We will also continue to work on integrating development interests into UK trade policy including in Free Trade Agreements.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans the Government has to consult with (a) civil society and (b) development partners on the development of the new UK Aid strategy.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The Integrated Review, announced by the Prime Minister and expected to conclude later in the year, will define the Government’s ambition for the UK’s role in the world. Its outcomes will shape the objectives including for overseas development spending. Civil society organisations play invaluable role in our fight against poverty. We continue to engage with them including through regular roundtables.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to ensure that disability inclusion in international development will remain a priority of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Answered by Wendy Morton
This Government is committed to supporting a long-term movement for change on the neglected global issue of disability inclusion. The Government remains steadfast in its commitment to this agenda.
The Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy is expected to conclude later in the year, which will define the Government’s ambition for the UK’s role in the world and its outcomes will shape the objectives of the FCDO. Both the review and the merger are evidence of the Prime Minister’s commitment to a unified British foreign and development policy that will maximise our influence around the world, including on disability inclusion.
As part of the merger discussions, we will review, refresh and build on all existing strategies, including DFID’s Disability Inclusion Strategy.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department's investments into (a) covid-19 related research and development and (b) other product development research and development will be managed by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office after the merger.
Answered by James Duddridge
Merging the Department for International Development (DFID) with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to form the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will bring together the best of what we do in aid and diplomacy. It will ensure that all of our national efforts including our aid budget and expertise are used to make the UK a force for good in the world. DFID is a long-term supporter of product development research through Product Development Partnerships to develop new diagnostics, drugs, vaccines and other health technologies for use in the developing world. This includes recent investments in a wide range of health research and development to tackle COVID-19
The UK’s role in the world will be defined by the Integrated Foreign Policy Review, expected to conclude later in the year. The objectives for the new department, including for research and development, will be informed by the findings of that review. The work of Official Development Assistance will remain central to the new department’s mission, and the budget of the new department will combine the FCO and DFID budgets.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether UK overseas aid spending will be in line with the OECD Development Assistance Committee's internationally agreed standards for Official Development Assistance following the merger of his Department and the Department for International Development.
Answered by Wendy Morton
Spending 0.7 percent of our national income on aid is enshrined in law. The UK continues to report its aid spend in line with the international definitions of Official Development Assistance as defined by the OECD Development Assistance Committee.
We will continue to look at how the UK’s aid can maximise the UK’s role as a force for good in the world, including through the Integrated Review. This will inform the priorities of the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.
As the Prime Minister said in the House, the work of UK aid to reduce poverty will remain central to the new department’s mission.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she made an assessment of the potential effect on the health and well-being of people classed as living in extreme poverty of the merger of her Department with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The merger of the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will enable us to bring together our international efforts; will strengthen our ability to contribute to the global recovery from COVID-19; and allow us to seize opportunities which arise as we prepare to take on the G7 presidency and host COP26 next year. The UK will continue to play a leading role on global health and is committed to achieving the health-related global goals, including ending the preventable deaths of mothers, new-borns and children by 2030.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she plans to take to help ensure that future (a) development and (b) humanitarian spending is in line with the Leave No One Behind principle and reaches (i) people with disabilities and (ii) others in the most vulnerable category.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK is proud of its strong record on inclusive development and protecting the most vulnerable, and this Government remains steadfast in its commitment to this agenda.
In co-hosting the Global Disability Summit two years ago, the UK demonstrated its leadership on disability inclusion and the principle of Leave No One Behind.
The vital work of UK aid to reduce poverty and protect vulnerable groups will remain central to the new FCDO’s mission. The Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy is expected to conclude later in the year, which will define the Government’s ambition for the UK’s role in the world and its outcomes will shape the objectives of the FCDO. Both the review and the merger are evidence of the Prime Minister’s commitment to a unified British foreign and development policy that will maximise our influence around the world.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans she has to commission a future review of the transparency of Official Development Assistance spending by all Government departments.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK is globally recognised for its expertise and transparency in aid spending. We are committed to improving transparency of aid globally and maintaining our high standards for overseas spending. We will continue to be accountable to parliament and to taxpayers for how we spend UK aid.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to ensure that expert staff from her Department are retained when that Department is merged with Foreign and Commonwealth of Office.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Merging the departments will bring together the best of what we do in aid and diplomacy, and create new opportunities for staff. The ambition, vision and expertise of DFID staff will be at the heart of the new department – taking forward the work of UK aid, which will remain central to our mission. There will be no compulsory redundancies and we will work closely with staff throughout the process of implementing the merger. Any changes to team structures or to roles and responsibilities will be fair, open and transparent.