Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Seventh Report of the International Development Committee, HC 146, published on 28 February 2023, whether his Department plans to introduce legislative proposals to cancel debt in (a) Pakistan and (b) low income countries across the world.

The UK plays a leadership role in international discussions on developing country debt. Where a country requests debt relief the UK works with its international partners, the G20 and Paris Club, to negotiate a treatment that returns a country to debt sustainability, and presses for this to be swift.

The UK, alongside international partners, expect private creditors to participate in debt restructurings on terms at least as favourable as bilateral (i.e. country) creditors.

At this time, the Government is focused on delivering a market-based (contractual) approach to private sector participation, for example recently developing Majority Voting Provisions for private loans.