Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to provide international development charities with funding to increase their aid capabilities.

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) are important partners in delivering UK aid, developing policy and tackling the biggest challenges. The International Development Strategy sets out our commitment to working in partnership with CSOs, large and small from across the UK, as well as southern-based CSOs. The strategy also commits us to increase the speed we engage partners through grants.

The FCDO continues to partner with civil society to deliver impact with UK aid and we are currently considering our future approach to central funding. Engagement with the sector will be key to shaping this offer, and we will take particular care to include engagement with local actors.