Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the oral evidence of the Prime Minister at the Liaison Committee on the 24 March 2021, whether Official Development Assistance spend on girls' education will be ring fenced for the 2021-22 financial year.

The Prime Minister has made clear our continued commitment to stand up for the right of every girl to 12 years of quality education. The Foreign Secretary has set out seven strategic priorities for the UK's aid budget this year, within the overarching pursuit of poverty reduction. Girls' education is one of these priorities, and this new strategic approach will allow us to drive greater impact through our aid budget, notwithstanding the difficult financial position we face. No decisions have yet been made on individual budget allocations.

ODA spending is only one of the tools in achieving our ambitions. This year, we will also be co-hosting the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Replenishment with Kenya, and using our G7 Presidency to rally the international community in stepping up support for girls' education.