Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will (a) make an assessment of the potential merits of restoring the UK’s humanitarian assistance to Somalia to 2020 levels, and (b) make an estimate of the potential impact on the number of deaths by starvation of that restoration.

The UK is a major humanitarian donor to the East Africa region and UK-funded activities are making a difference and saving lives. In Somalia, to alleviate the impact of drought and address the risk of famine, since 1 April 2022, the UK has allocated £52.8 million in humanitarian, health and nutrition support.

The FCDO is prioritising spending that is vital to protect against immediate threat to life and wellbeing, will prevent people falling into humanitarian need, or will prevent delays to accessing healthcare, primary education, sanitation and clean water. Humanitarian spending in Somalia falls into this category. Ministers will make any adjustments and final aid prioritisation decisions based on additional Official Development Assistance pressures this autumn.

The current fiscal situation does not allow a return to 2020 levels of spending, but the UK remains committed to alleviating the impacts of drought and addressing the risk of famine in Somalia.