Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why the decision to merge the Department for International Development with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was taken before the conclusion of the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.
The Prime Minister is determined that the Integrated Review later this year will set an ambitious vision for the future of the UK as an active, internationalist, problem-solving and burden-sharing nation. The new Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office will be central to the delivery of that vision, so it needs to prepare now to be ready by the Autumn.
This reform will create a department that for the first time for many years has the combination of size, reach and expertise to project us effectively internationally and make sure that we spend our development money in the best possible way.