Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the current level of UK aid spending on gender equality within humanitarian and development programming will be protected when her Department is merged with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The UK is committed to spending 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) on development, which is enshrined in law. This means the aid budget increases when the UK economy grows and decreases if the economy shrinks. The economy is expected to shrink this year due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and all government departments are working through how their plans need to change in the light of this. No decision has been taken, but we are considering the full range of our work. Given the expected fall in GNI this year, aid spending is under review across all departments. 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 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office staff.

The UK International Development (Gender Equality) Act makes consideration of gender equality in all UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) a legal requirement. Advancing gender equality and women’s rights will remain a priority for this government.