Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what part of the allocated 2026-27 spend for the Integrated Security Fund will go towards the Gender and National Security Portfolio.

The decrease in the Integrated Security Fund’s (ISF) national security programming budget means that we need to focus resources on the highest priority threats to national security, as set out in the Written Ministerial Statement on 10 February. The Government has therefore taken the decision to close the standalone Gender and National Security (GNS) portfolio in 2026/27.

The ISF will continue to provide £0.8m each year to fund the Women, Peace and Security Helpdesk, which forms part of the GNS portfolio this year. The Helpdesk provides high-impact technical and advisory support to teams across Government, including the ISF. This supports delivery of gender-sensitive activity aligned to UK national security priorities.

Teams across government delivering ISF programming are also expected to continue to mainstream gender throughout their work, including through projects which specifically address gender and social inclusion.

They are also expected to monitor the gender and social inclusion impacts of their activity and in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty obligations, programmes will consider the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations across protected characteristics.