Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the efficacy of including respect for LGBT rights as a criterion for the provision of development assistance; and if she will make a statement.

The respect for human rights is already included as a criterion for the provision of development assistance. For all DFID country programmes, we assess a government’s commitment to the UK Partnership Principles, including human rights. In assessing the human rights situation, we aim to achieve a balanced overview of a government’s action and outcomes across the full range of human rights, including civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights. Our assessment of a government’s commitment to these principles informs how and to whom we provide aid in that country.