Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to ensure that reductions to the aid budget are co-ordinated in a strategic manner (i) at regional level and (ii) by his Department in Whitehall.

The Prime Minister has set an ambitious agenda to increase UK impact overseas through closer integration of cross-Goverment activity. This includes all UK Missions working to a single, whole-of-government set of objectives for which the Head of Mission (HoM) is fully accountable.

The Foreign Secretary set out to the House of Commons on 26 November how a new strategic approach will allow us to drive greater impact from our £10 billion of ODA spending next year, notwithstanding the difficult financial pressures faced. Budgets will be allocated based on this strategy as well as considerations of need including levels of poverty, ability of countries to fund themselves and to ensure that every pound we spend on ODA goes as far as possible and has greatest impact the UK could help achieve - previous PQ response

Country Plans are being reviewed at the regional level by Geographic Boards comprising FCDO and XHMG officials, and subject to Ministerial approval, to ensure strategic coherence - new language.