Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will be required to consider gender inequality ahead of allocating aid and other resources.

The UK's Gender Equality Act 2014 (an amendment to 2002 International Development Act, IDA), legally requires all overseas development funding to meaningfully consider the impact of how it will contribute to reducing gender inequality. The UK Aid Strategy prioritises the rights of women and girls under its fourth strategic goal of tackling extreme poverty and helping the world's most vulnerable.

Spending 0.7 percent of our national income on aid is enshrined in law and the UK continues to abide by the OECD DAC rules for aid, which include the consideration of gender equality in how aid is spent. We will continue to look at how this money can be spent most effectively, including through the Integrated Review - which will inform the priorities of the new Department.

Any decisions on spending aid will be taken by the ministerial team in the new Department, overseen by the Foreign Secretary and drawing on the expertise of FCDO staff.