Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what engagement has she had with the a) Independent Commission for Aid Impact and b) recipients of UK overseas development assistance, on future funding for the ICAI.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Minister for International Development's appearance before the International Development Committee on 20 January, where she addressed these issues at length.

The Independent Commission for Aid Impact's (ICAI) budget allocation for 2025/26 is £3.97 million. Details of its past funding can be found in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) annual reports and accounts, and decisions on its future funding will be announced in due course when we publish our allocations of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget up to 2028/29. The FCDO remains committed to full transparency and scrutiny of our ODA spend.

Over the previous five financial years (2021/22 to 2025/26), ICAI have published on average 5.6 reviews and 1.6 shorter information notes per year. This financial year, ICAI have published 2 reviews to date.

Ministers and FCDO officials continue to have regular engagement with ICAI.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps is she taking to ensure future scrutiny and transparency of UK overseas development and assistance.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Minister for International Development's appearance before the International Development Committee on 20 January, where she addressed these issues at length.

The Independent Commission for Aid Impact's (ICAI) budget allocation for 2025/26 is £3.97 million. Details of its past funding can be found in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) annual reports and accounts, and decisions on its future funding will be announced in due course when we publish our allocations of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget up to 2028/29. The FCDO remains committed to full transparency and scrutiny of our ODA spend.

Over the previous five financial years (2021/22 to 2025/26), ICAI have published on average 5.6 reviews and 1.6 shorter information notes per year. This financial year, ICAI have published 2 reviews to date.

Ministers and FCDO officials continue to have regular engagement with ICAI.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding was given by her Department to the Independent Commission for Aid Impact in each of the last five years.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Minister for International Development's appearance before the International Development Committee on 20 January, where she addressed these issues at length.

The Independent Commission for Aid Impact's (ICAI) budget allocation for 2025/26 is £3.97 million. Details of its past funding can be found in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) annual reports and accounts, and decisions on its future funding will be announced in due course when we publish our allocations of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget up to 2028/29. The FCDO remains committed to full transparency and scrutiny of our ODA spend.

Over the previous five financial years (2021/22 to 2025/26), ICAI have published on average 5.6 reviews and 1.6 shorter information notes per year. This financial year, ICAI have published 2 reviews to date.

Ministers and FCDO officials continue to have regular engagement with ICAI.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her department is taking to ensure that every child in care has their immigration status resolved before turning 18.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The previous Home Secretary set out in the Immigration White Paper published on 12 May 2025 that the Home Office will ensure children who have been in the UK for some time, turn 18 and discover they do not have status, are fully supported and able to regularise their status and settle where appropriate. This will also include a clear pathway for those children in care and care leavers.

This commitment will be delivered primarily through an update to the ‘children in care policy.

As part of this, separate targeted engagement will take place with external stakeholders to help us to understand the challenges in this area and develop a policy solution which supports children in care without status while upholding the need to have a robust and coherent migration system. Children who have claimed asylum are dealt with under separate provisions.

A range of reforms are underway across the immigration and asylum system, and the development of a clear pathway to settlement for children in care and care leavers must be considered alongside these changes.

When handling child applications, all caseworkers must comply with their duty under Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009, to have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Further detail on this will be set out in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact on the effectiveness of UK overseas development assistance spending.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to Baroness Chapman's appearance before the International Development Committee on 20 January, where she addressed these issues at length.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact on the transparency of UK overseas development assistance.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to Baroness Chapman's appearance before the International Development Committee on 20 January, where she addressed these issues at length.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Helen Hayes (Chair); Jess Asato; Sureena Brackenridge; Darren Paffey

Found: letter, dated February 2, 2026, from Josh MacAlister OBE MP, Minister for Children and Families, to Helen Hayes

Found: Smith Street London SW1P 3BT tel: 0370 000 2288 www.education.gov.uk/contactus/dfe Helen Hayes

Found: MSP Natalie Don-Innes BPA T: 0300 244 4000 E: scottish.ministers@gov.scot  Ms Helen Hayes

Found: Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA Switchboard: 0300 123 3000 or 020 7981 3000 www.ofcom.org.uk Helen Hayes

Found: Smith Street London SW1P 3BT tel: 0370 000 2288 www.education.gov.uk/contactus/dfe Helen Hayes

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Helen Hayes (Chair); Jess Asato; Sureena Brackenridge; Darren Paffey

Found: Bobby Dean Jim Dickson John Glen John Grady Dame Siobhain McDonagh Catherine West Yuan Yang Helen Hayes

Found: Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP (EHC0011), Mr Toby Perkins MP (EHC0013), Sarah Owen MP (EHC0014), Helen Hayes

Found: Current membership Helen Hayes (Labour; Dulwich and West Norwood) (Chair) Jess Asato (Labour; Lowestoft

Found: Questions 1-21 Representations made I: David Mundell II: Gregory Stafford III: Helen Hayes IV: Bambos

Found: From the Chair Helen Hayes MP Helen Hayes MP Chair of the Education Committee

Found: Department for Education Georgia Gould OBE MP Minister for School Standards Helen Hayes

Found: Department for Education Josh MacAlister OBE MP Minister for Children and Families Helen Hayes

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Helen Hayes (Chair); Mrs Sureena Brackenridge; Darren Paffey; Rebecca

Found: Brown Chair, Public Accounts Committee House of Commons London SW1A 0AA By email Cc: Helen Hayes

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Helen Hayes (Chair); Jess Asato; Dr Caroline Johnson; Darren Paffey

Found: Chair of the National Curriculum and Assessment Review • DfE Research and Evidence Roundtable • Helen Hayes

Submit Evidence (by 27 Mar 2026)

The Education Select Committee and the Health and Social Care Select Committee have jointly launched an inquiry into the mental health of children and young people. This inquiry will examine mental health support and services provided in education and community settings, available to children and young people up to the age of 25. The Committees wish to understand how this provision is integrated with specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), acute and other statutory NHS services. 

Submit Evidence (by 10 Apr 2026)

The Education Committee is looking to examine how artificial intelligence (AI) and EdTech are reshaping education across England, from early years settings to schools, colleges and universities. The Committee will explore the opportunities these technologies present for improving learning and teaching, as well as the risks they pose - including their potential impact on children’s digital rights, safeguarding, inequalities and assessment.