Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to Recommendation 12, paragraph 45 of the 12th Report of the International Development Committee of Session 2017-19, on the UK's progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Voluntary National Review, HC 1732, if the Government will take the opportunity of the merger of her Department with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to review the location of responsibility for leading and reporting on the UK’s domestic performance against the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The UK remains committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the SDGs will play an important role in collective approaches to post-COVID-19 recovery. Responsibility for the oversight of the SDGs will need to be considered in the round as part of the formation of the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Notwithstanding this, all government departments have responsibility for the aspects of the SDGs that relate to their respective policy responsibilities.