Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans she has to ensure that gender equality remains a strategic priority for her Department.

Fundamentally, our new foreign and development policy is about freedom, the freedom for men and women alike to live and thrive around the world, empowered by education and enterprise. Throughout this year's UK's G7 Presidency, we have prioritised action on gender equality guided by the 3E's: 'Educating Girls, Empowering Women and Ending Violence against women and girls' which continues to reflect FCDO priorities. Last week I announced how women and girls will be at the centre of our foreign policy priorities, with more than £20 million of new funding to help stop violence against women and girls around the world, exploring options to strengthen the international response to sexual violence in conflict, including exploring a new Convention and plans for an international conference in 2022.

We will be refreshing FCDO's Strategic Vision for Gender Equality in the new year, which will look to 2030 and show how FCDO will continue to prioritise women and girls. In addition, our latest Spending Review showed, we will increase aid funding for our highest priorities, including support for women and girls, focusing on giving more girls a quality education; ending the extremely harmful practice of female genital mutilation and supporting girls' health.