Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to paragraph 66 of chapter 2 on page 64 of the paper, The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, whether the arrangements with the EU for future development policy cooperation will come into effect during the implementation period.

The UK welcomes the provision in the Withdrawal Agreement that allows for the future relationship on foreign and defence policy to become effective during the Implementation Period.

In future, our cooperation with the EU on development will be linked to the external financing instruments established in the next Multiannual Financial Framework, after the Implementation Period has ended. This will determine how the EU will finance international development after 2020.

The UK remains open to pooling resources with the EU and drawing on our collective expertise to maximise the combined development impact in areas of our mutual interest. This is why we have proposed, in the recent White Paper, a Cooperative Accord on development assistance and international action. Precisely how this relationship will work remains subject to negotiation.