Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a dedicated strategy to support co-operative models in post-conflict recovery programmes.

Collaboration with international partners and civil society organisations is central to the UK's efforts to prevent and reduce conflict. The UK regards cooperatives as important actors within the development and humanitarian sectors, and they can play a role as part of an inclusive approach to peacebuilding, in post-conflict situations and conflict prevention. We recognise that each conflict context is different. We therefore support cooperatives where appropriate to the context and country partnership, and where they can help further the principles of local ownership and inclusivity.