Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the link between overseas development aid spend in Nepal and the recruitment of Gurkhas in the country.

Diplomatic relations between the UK and Nepal stretch over 200 years and are grounded in mutual respect. The UK Government holds the Gurkhas in the highest regard and acknowledges the outstanding contribution they make to the United Kingdom. Separately, the UK's development partnership with Nepal focuses on long‑term economic welfare and development as part of our global Official Development Assistance strategy.