Ukraine: Decentralisation Reforms

Baroness Chapman of Darlington Excerpts

Thursday 9th July 2026 Grand Committee

[The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Baroness Chapman of Darlington) (Lab)]

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Risby, for securing this debate. I know that it has not been the biggest draw of the day, as far as Parliament is concerned, but the quality of the contributions has more than made up for that.

The noble Lord, Lord Risby, made some thoughtful suggestions based on his extensive experience of working in Ukraine. I promise him that we will continue to look at ways to work with our Ukrainian friends as part of our commitment set out in the 100-year partnership and that we will explore his various suggestions. I also thank the noble Lord, Lord Udny-Lister, for his important contribution. Having a short debate is great because we can name each properly and not just say, “All those present”.

The illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia continues to cause immense pain and suffering. I absolutely accept the encouragement from the noble Lord, Lord Risby, not to focus on only conflict, but, last week, Russia launched around 500 drones and 70 missiles, aimed primarily at Kyiv, killing at least 30 civilians and injuring nearly 90. The scale of damage from more than four years of war is, of course, enormous. The latest World Bank assessment is that around $588 billion will be required for recovery and reconstruction over the next decade.

Early recovery and development support are therefore critical if we are to prevent Ukraine falling into decline, poverty and instability. This is an agenda to which we are fully committed and, as the noble Earl, Lord Courtown, said, it is entirely cross-party. Through the UK’s historic and wide-ranging 100-year partnership with Ukraine, we are deepening relations across the social, cultural, education and trade sectors to ensure a more prosperous and secure long-term future for both our countries. The entire premise of having a 100-year partnership is so that it is all-encompassing.

Already 54,000 British and Ukrainian pupils are set to benefit from the school-twinning programme under the 100-year partnership. The suggestions from the noble Lord, Lord Risby, of a register of partnerships, a platform to link communities, a municipal aid corridor and a local government fund for grants to support partnerships were all excellent and implementable, and we will of course consider them thoroughly. Not all of them need the Government to do them. In the true nature of the spirit of entrepreneurship that you often find in local government in this country and in Ukraine, some of those things can happen in any case.

Democratic institutions, including Ukraine’s Parliament and civil society, will play a key role in Ukraine’s recovery. Co-operation between the Ukrainian Government, Parliament and civil society, along with international partners, will help to ensure Ukraine’s democratic resilience. Ukraine’s decentralisation reforms have strengthened the ability of local authorities to deliver public services, respond to crises and lead recovery efforts, even in the most challenging wartime conditions. Strong local government will remain essential to rebuilding communities, strengthening resilience and supporting Ukraine’s future Euro-Atlantic integration.

The UK recognises that recovery and reform must go hand in hand. Continued progress on governance, anti-corruption, judicial reform and decentralisation will help Ukraine attract investment, strengthen institutions and support its Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Two weeks ago, the Foreign Secretary attended the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdansk alongside the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. At the conference, the Foreign Secretary announced our package of bilateral assistance for 2026-27, worth almost £290 million, to bolster Ukraine’s recovery and energy security. We also announced a further $1 billion of fiscal support through the World Bank, demonstrating our long-term commitment to Ukraine’s reconstruction. The Deputy Prime Minister announced that £12 million of this package is for a new governance programme, including £2.4 million for anti-corruption initiatives.

The UK has consistently supported a recovery that is inclusive, accountable and, above all, led by Ukraine, with civil society playing a central role in shaping, supporting and scrutinising that recovery. However, we recognise that recovery cannot be delivered from Kyiv alone. Action at local and regional level was a core theme of this year’s Ukraine Recovery Conference, recognising that local communities are best placed to identify priorities and lead reconstruction.

As the noble Lord, Lord Risby, said, Ukrainian civil society organisations were among the first to step forward after Russia’s full-scale invasion. They continue to support those most affected by the war, including the communities that are hardest to reach. This is where municipal partnerships can make a real difference. I completely agree with the argument that the noble Lord, Lord Udny-Lister, made. Like him, I have served in local government and learned a huge amount from that experience that I use every single day in my current role. It is these partnerships that help local authorities deliver better services, learn from each other’s experience and build the foundations for long-term recovery.

The UK is backing that approach in practice. The noble Earl, Lord Courtown, and the noble Lord, Lord Udny-Lister, asked how we are doing this. We are using our humanitarian assistance and resilience programme to strengthen the role of civil society and community groups in delivering support on the ground. Through the UK-led multi-donor Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine we directly strengthen local authorities in Ukraine’s front-line regions to ensure that local governments remain visible, responsible, and, most importantly, trusted by their local residents.

Through our social protection programme, SPIRIT, we are helping Ukraine move from emergency response into long-term recovery, supporting reform, strengthening social services and helping Ukrainian municipalities—I will just call them that—to work together to meet local needs. Working with UNICEF and the NGO ISAR Ednannia, we are supporting around 100 municipalities and 120 local providers. This support is leaving a lasting legacy, helping municipalities build the skills, partnerships and systems that they need to sustain recovery long after individual grants end.

The noble Earl, Lord Courtown, asked for regular reporting and suggested a platform to showcase work that is happening, which are excellent ideas. Let us see what we can take forward.

As we say every time we talk about Ukraine, the UK stands with Ukraine in its journey towards a just and lasting peace and in its efforts to rebuild. Ensuring that Ukraine emerges from this war as a stronger, more resilient, more prosperous country is just as important as supporting its defence today. Ukraine’s recovery will be built through not only international investments but strong institutions, empowered local communities and the determination of the Ukrainian people. The UK remains committed to that effort and to Ukraine for as long as it takes.