Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Women, Peace and Security agenda will remain a Government and departmental priority of the new Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.

The Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda is an important component of the UK's work to promote human rights and support sustainable peace processes. 2020 is a key year for WPS due to the 20th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. This Government is committed to marking the 20th anniversary, calling for renewed commitment by the international community to implement all of the WPS UN Security Council resolutions. The National Action Plan outlines our WPS strategy, and the UK remains committed to implementing it.

The FCO and DFID already work closely to deliver both DFID's Strategic Vision and the National Action Plan on WPS. The Integrated Review of foreign policy is expected to conclude later in the year, which will define the Government's ambition for the UK's role in the world and its outcomes will shape the objectives of the new department. Gender equality and women's rights will remain a core part of the Government's mission and will be at the heart of the new department.