Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April 2018, what commitments her Department has made to increase aid and investment to (a) Commonwealth countries and (b) for sea defences to Commonwealth island states to counter the risk of rising sea levels posed by global warming.

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting agreed vital steps to help end poverty, and increase mutual prosperity, jobs and investment across the Commonwealth. DFID commitments made during the week of CHOGM included: £212 million for the Girls’ Education Challenge fund; support for 2,500 awards under the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan; £7.5 million to tackle human trafficking and child exploitation; £20 million to help eliminate blinding trachoma; £44 million to help Commonwealth countries prepare for the impact of natural disasters; and confirmation, at the Malaria Summit, of £100 million to strengthen health systems.

Over 80% of DFID’s programmes in the Caribbean are wholly or partially focused on improving climate and disaster resilience. The £330 million UK Caribbean Infrastructure Fund, announced in 2015, will build, renovate and strengthen ports, sea defences and roads in 8 Commonwealth Caribbean countries and Montserrat, an overseas territory.