Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of her Department's work responding to the covid-19 outbreak on her Department's objectives and priorities.

The COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest threat we have faced in our lifetimes, and here in the UK and across the globe we are seeing the devastating impact of this virus. The UK is at the forefront of the international response, having so far pledged £744 million of UK aid.

In order to ensure we can divert sufficient resources to HMG’s COVID-19 response, DFID is reprioritising its planned spend and objectives for this financial year and beyond. This is both for our immediate COVID-19 response and to support longer-term recovery through rebuilding livelihoods, economies and health systems.

We will continue to work to deliver the 2019 Manifesto priorities, for example on girls’ education, and help vulnerable people, systems, and economies whilst prioritising the global COVID-19 response.