Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK government’s strategy for international development published on 16 May 2022, what assessment she has made of the implications of her strategy for her Department’s work on reducing illicit financial flows from developing countries, including (a) work with the National Crime Agency International Corruption Unit, (b) work with the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre, (c) development of a U.K. International Centre of Excellence on illicit finance and (d) the number of Departmental staff providing a central illicit finance capability in her Department.

The UK Government is committed to tackling the devastating effects of illicit finance on developing countries through a patient, long-term approach. The International Development Strategy commits to helping partner countries fight financial crime and illicit flows, and tackle threats from malign actors.

The International Corruption Unit and the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre at the National Crime Agency are critical to these efforts. They remain a top priority for FCDO. The proposed International Centre of Excellence on Illicit Finance is currently in design phase. The team developing the concept have bid for internal resources and are developing a business case to deliver the intended vision. Between 18-20 staff in FCDO's Illicit Finance and Anti-Corruption Department work on illicit finance. (16 June 2022).