Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to strengthen the rules-based international order.

The rules-based international system has made the world collectively more prosperous and safe than ever before. Making the case for effective multilateralism is the responsibility of all those who believe in the opportunities that co-operation brings. Upholding and strengthening this system is a priority for the government. We are reinvigorating and expanding the UK's diplomatic network in order to reinforce our friendships and alliances, to defend the values of democracy and human rights, to reform the multilateral architecture where needed and to reach agreement on new rules in evolving policy areas. This will allow the UK to play a leading role in shaping a rules-based international system fit for the future.