Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to ensure refugees are consulted on the development of the medium-term response plan for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

The UK government is committed to supporting the Government of Bangladesh’s generosity in hosting the Rohingya refugees. Although the aim is the voluntary return of the refugees to Myanmar, the current conditions and continued conflict in Rakhine State preclude this.

As the crisis moves into a protracted phase, we will remain a leading donor to the humanitarian operation and increase our support to the development needs of affected communities in Cox’s Bazar. This requires working with the UN, World Bank and others to help the Government develop and finance medium-term plans for the district. It also requires continuous consultation with the refugees to make sure that their needs and aspirations are, as far as possible, met. A group of partners, led by BBC Media Action, is helping to facilitate this.