Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the policies of (1) Thailand, (2) Cambodia, and (3) South Korea, towards reducing economic inequalities; and what steps they plan to take on the basis of such assessment.

The UK is committed to deepening and cementing our ties with Thailand, Cambodia and the Republic of Korea as part of our Indo-Pacific tilt.

The Government of Thailand's focus on reducing economic inequalities is outlined in the Thailand 4.0 economic model that focuses on prosperity, security and sustainability. The UK is working with Thailand to provide technical support and partnership, and has developed programmes on health, low carbon transition, smart cities and the digital economy.

The Government of Cambodia's Economic Recovery Plan 2021-2023 seeks to address economic inequalities and promote inclusive growth. The UK is working with Cambodia through the Accelerated COVID-19 Economic Support programme that looks to address economic inequalities by seeking industrial diversification. We are also addressing girls' education and women's empowerment through leadership programmes.

The Korean New Deal outlines the Government of the Republic of Korea's overarching economic policies including on inequality. As part of the UK's Presidency, we invited ROK to the G7 as a Guest Country. Through the G7, we are working together to address global economic inequality, for example by supporting girls' education through funding the Global Partnership for Education, and are working to ensure a clean and resilient recovery from COVID-19 for example by offering support to COVAX.