Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the role of early stage co-investment funds in assisting the achievement of development goals.

Investment Funds that invest in early-stage businesses can provide risk capital, create jobs and provide access to services such as healthcare, energy, housing, education and sanitation. In December 2012 my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development announced the DFID Impact Fund, which is managed by CDC. Through the DFID Impact Fund CDC is investing up to £75 million of DFID's capital into Funds on a matched basis with other co-investors.