First elected: 4th July 2024
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Don't apply VAT to independent school fees, or remove business rates relief.
Gov Responded - 20 Dec 2024 Debated on - 3 Mar 2025 View Monica Harding's petition debate contributionsPrevent independent schools from having to pay VAT on fees and incurring business rates as a result of new legislation.
Introduce 16 as the minimum age for children to have social media
Gov Responded - 17 Dec 2024 Debated on - 24 Feb 2025 View Monica Harding's petition debate contributionsWe believe social media companies should be banned from letting children under 16 create social media accounts.
These initiatives were driven by Monica Harding, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Monica Harding has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Monica Harding has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Monica Harding has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
My officials engage regularly with a number of industry bodies, including the Absorbent Hygiene Products Manufacturers Association who represent the UK disposable nappy, adult continence care and period product industries.
Subject to Royal Assent of the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, the Government will consult on a range of issues, including the safety of period products, to ensure that any changes to the regulatory framework are robust and consistent. As part of this, we are considering further research and testing in this area to complement the consultation, as well as engaging with other interested Government Departments in reviewing any evidence and agreeing a way forward following consultation.
Most period products are regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, which requires all products to be safe and for consumers to be provided with information on the potential risks of a product.
Officials are currently reviewing the evidence base concerning the safety of period products, from which any evidence gaps will be identified, and appropriate expert evidence or further research sought. Where appropriate the Department will seek to work with other interested Government Departments, including those with responsibility for the regulation of glyphosate.
Earlier this year we announced plans to extend the Warm Homes Discount to an extra 2.7 million families, meaning a total of 6 million households will get £150 off their bills next winter. We are taking these short term steps whilst we progress our mission to deliver a clean power system by 2030. This is the way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently.
We have announced a target to deliver 300,000 home upgrades this year, as we know that too many families are living in poor quality housing and paying over the odds to heat their homes.
The Warm Homes Plan will be critical to ending the scourge of energy inefficiency and ensuring that families have energy security.
We are working closely with the sector to understand the needs of arts centres, which are integral to communities up and down the country. Through sector engagement, as well as the recent Arup and Future Arts Centres report, Evaluating Capital Investment Needs for Arts Centres in the UK, we are aware that arts centres are facing significant challenges with their estates.
The £85 million Creative Foundations Fund (CFF), launched by this government earlier this year, is supporting arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates, including essential renovations and repairs. An important part of this government’s growth mission, this fund aims to strengthen the long-term economic viability of the creative and cultural industries. Arts centres that met the criteria were eligible to apply for the fund, and Arts Council England have notified all those that submitted Expressions of Interest of who is being taken forward to the full application stage. The Arts Council will notify all applicants of the outcome of their full application and commit all funding by 31 March 2026.
Whilst we do not have any plans to launch a capital investment programme specifically for arts centres, we were able to secure significant investment at the Spending Review for Arts, Culture and Heritage infrastructure. The Spending Review sets out DCMS’s high-level funding settlement and we will share further details in due course.
We are working closely with the sector to understand the needs of arts centres, which are integral to communities up and down the country. Through sector engagement, as well as the recent Arup and Future Arts Centres report, Evaluating Capital Investment Needs for Arts Centres in the UK, we are aware that arts centres are facing significant challenges with their estates.
The £85 million Creative Foundations Fund (CFF), launched by this government earlier this year, is supporting arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates, including essential renovations and repairs. An important part of this government’s growth mission, this fund aims to strengthen the long-term economic viability of the creative and cultural industries. Arts centres that met the criteria were eligible to apply for the fund, and Arts Council England have notified all those that submitted Expressions of Interest of who is being taken forward to the full application stage. The Arts Council will notify all applicants of the outcome of their full application and commit all funding by 31 March 2026.
Whilst we do not have any plans to launch a capital investment programme specifically for arts centres, we were able to secure significant investment at the Spending Review for Arts, Culture and Heritage infrastructure. The Spending Review sets out DCMS’s high-level funding settlement and we will share further details in due course.
The department has made Safety Valve agreements with 38 local authorities. These are: Bath and North East Somerset, Barnsley, Bexley, Blackpool, Bolton, Bracknell Forest, Bristol, Bury, Cambridgeshire, Croydon, Darlington, Devon, Dorset, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Isle of Wight, Kent, Kingston upon Thames, Kirklees, Medway, Merton, Norfolk, North Somerset, North Tyneside, Richmond upon Thames, Rotherham, Salford, Slough, South Gloucestershire, Southwark, Stoke-on-Trent, Surrey, Torbay, Wiltshire, Wokingham and York. All agreements are published on GOV.UK and can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-very-high-deficit-intervention.
Of these, five agreements are currently suspended. The local authorities with suspended agreements are Bath and North East Somerset, Cambridgeshire, Dorset, Hillingdon and Norfolk.
All Safety Valve local authorities receive ongoing support through the monitoring process.
The high needs national funding formula will be used to allocate high needs funding to local authorities in the 2025/26 financial year. Provisional 2025/26 national funding formula allocations for local authorities have now been published and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs-2025-to-2026.
For 2025/26, Surrey County Council has been allocated a provisional high needs funding amount of over £239 million. This represents an increase of 7% per head of their projected 2 to 18-year-old population, compared with their 2024/25 formula allocation.
The Safety Valve programme helps local authorities provide an improved special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) service by maximising the impact of their high needs budget and promoting a more stable and effective system for children and young people with SEND. Safety Valve agreements were established only if both the local authority and the department agreed that the proposals would improve services for children and young people with SEND. The future use of Safety Valve agreements is under review.
Existing Safety Valve agreements do not in any way release local authorities from their obligation to fulfil their statutory duties to children and young people with SEND, and no agreement would have been made if it compromised a local authority’s ability to meet these obligations. The department regularly reviews the implementation of all Safety Valve agreements through our monitoring process, and provides support and intervention if they go off track. The department does not hold any data on the potential impact of Surrey’s Safety Valve agreement regarding funding per education, health and care plan.
The Safety Valve programme helps local authorities provide an improved special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) service by maximising the impact of their high needs budget and promoting a more stable and effective system for children and young people with SEND. Safety Valve agreements were established only if both the local authority and the department agreed that the proposals would improve services for children and young people with SEND. The future use of Safety Valve agreements is under review.
Existing Safety Valve agreements do not in any way release local authorities from their obligation to fulfil their statutory duties to children and young people with SEND, and no agreement would have been made if it compromised a local authority’s ability to meet these obligations. The department regularly reviews the implementation of all Safety Valve agreements through our monitoring process, and provides support and intervention if they go off track. The department does not hold any data on the potential impact of Surrey’s Safety Valve agreement regarding funding per education, health and care plan.
This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.
The department is providing an increase of almost £1 billion for local authorities’ high needs budgets in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND in England to £11.9 billion.
The department is now in the process of calculating indicative high needs funding allocations for local authorities next year, which will be published shortly.
It is for the local authorities to decide how they manage their spending to secure the best possible outcomes for children and young people within the resources available.
Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission jointly inspect local area SEND provision to ensure there is joined-up support for children, young people and their families. These inspections are published and enable the department to intervene in cases of significant concern. The inspections also allow the department to work with local areas and professional advisors to address any areas of weakness that might be identified.
The Environment Agency (EA) has confirmed that the six Wastewater Treatment works (WwTW) inspected in the River Mole Catchment in the current financial year, referenced in the response to PQ 13669 on Rivers: Sewage, are as follows:
In the time since the response to Question 13669 was provided, the EA has inspected three additional WwTW in the Rive Mole catchment:
The EA has confirmed plans for a fourfold increase in water company inspections – 4000 by end of March 2025 - to hold companies to account, including unannounced inspections.
The increase in inspections will allow the EA to conduct more in-depth and independent audits to get to the root-cause of incidents, reducing the reliance on operator self-monitoring.
Following Storm Henk, the Environment Agency (EA) has undertaken a significant amount of debris clearance on weir structures, including the removal of a number of sunken & stricken vessels. The cost of the clean-up operation undertaken by our teams and supply chain partners has been more than £1 million over the last 6 months.
The main flood risk reduction plan currently being developed along this area is the proposed River Thames Scheme (RTS). It is a partnership between the EA, Surrey County Council and other local partners, that will reduce the risk of flooding for communities from Staines to Teddington, including between Weybridge and Long Ditton. This will be achieved through the creation of a new flood channel, in two parts, and capacity improvements to Sunbury, Molesey and Teddington weirs on the Thames and to the river in the Desborough area. RTS will reduce flood risk to around 11,000 homes and 1,600 businesses.
The EA are also looking at how to reduce the impact of flooding in Thames Ditton. Measures under consideration include raised barriers and property flood resilience measures to reduce the impact of flooding and allow a faster recovery. Any solution must be cost beneficial to attract public funding.
The main flood prevention plan currently in development along this part of the River Thames is the proposed River Thames Scheme (RTS). It is a partnership between the Environment Agency (EA), Surrey County Council, and other local partners that will reduce the risk of flooding for communities from Staines to Teddington, including between Weybridge and Long Ditton. This will be achieved through the creation of a new flood channel, in two parts, and capacity improvements to Sunbury, Molesey and Teddington weirs on the Thames and to the river in the Desborough area. The RTS is planning to reduce flood risk to around 11,000 homes and 1,600 businesses.
The EA is also looking at how to reduce the impact of flooding in Thames Ditton. Measures under consideration include raised barriers and property flood resilience measures to reduce the impact of flooding and allow a faster recovery.
It is Ofwat's responsibility, through the price review process, to independently scrutinise company plans and ensure the prices water companies charge customers are fair and proportionate.
The Government is committed to taking action to address water poverty and help vulnerable customers with their water bills. All water companies, including Thames Water, have measures in place for customers who struggle to pay for their water and wastewater services, including measures such as WaterSure, social tariffs, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support.
Furthermore, we expect companies to hold themselves accountable for their public commitment to end water poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure appropriate measures are taken to this end.
It is Ofwat's responsibility, through the price review process, to independently scrutinise company plans and ensure the prices water companies charge customers are fair and proportionate.
The Government is committed to taking action to address water poverty and help vulnerable customers with their water bills. All water companies, including Thames Water, have measures in place for customers who struggle to pay for their water and wastewater services, including measures such as WaterSure, social tariffs, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support.
Furthermore, we expect companies to hold themselves accountable for their public commitment to end water poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure appropriate measures are taken to this end.
The myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, final delivery plan will be published shortly. The plan will focus on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease.
Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as Huntington’s Disease.
Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board (ICB) commissions a specialist service that provides support to people with Huntington’s Disease. The service works closely with the Huntington’s Disease clinic at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. As of November 2024, there are 18 full time equivalent neurology consultants employed in National Health Service trusts within the Surrey Heartlands ICB region. This is seven more than a year previously.
At the national level, there are several initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with neurological conditions, including those with Huntington’s disease, such as the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology. NHS England has also established a Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically led programme to develop a new model of integrated care for neurology services. The National Neurosciences Advisory Group developed clinical pathways for adults with movement disorders, including Huntington’s disease. This is being used to inform the proposed changes to the neurology service model, which will in turn be used to revise the service specification for neurology.
Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as Huntington’s Disease. One of the priorities of the Framework is improving access to specialist care, treatment and drugs. In England, we published the 2025 Rare Diseases Action Plan on 28 February 2025, which provides further information.
The Department funds research into Huntington’s disease via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes high quality funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including Huntington’s disease. For example, the NIHR’s UCL Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) supported the TRACK-HD study. This identified biomarkers for Huntington’s disease and generated a database of brain scans available to scientists and led to the development of a rating scale to measure disease progression. BRC-funded researchers have also developed the first human test for the protein, which has now been validated and used as an endpoint in clinical trials.
Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as Huntington’s Disease.
Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board (ICB) commissions a specialist service that provides support to people with Huntington’s Disease. The service works closely with the Huntington’s Disease clinic at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. As of November 2024, there are 18 full time equivalent neurology consultants employed in National Health Service trusts within the Surrey Heartlands ICB region. This is seven more than a year previously.
At the national level, there are several initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with neurological conditions, including those with Huntington’s disease, such as the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology. NHS England has also established a Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically led programme to develop a new model of integrated care for neurology services. The National Neurosciences Advisory Group developed clinical pathways for adults with movement disorders, including Huntington’s disease. This is being used to inform the proposed changes to the neurology service model, which will in turn be used to revise the service specification for neurology.
Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as Huntington’s Disease.
Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board (ICB) commissions a specialist service that provides support to people with Huntington’s Disease. The service works closely with the Huntington’s Disease clinic at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. As of November 2024, there are 18 full time equivalent neurology consultants employed in National Health Service trusts within the Surrey Heartlands ICB region. This is seven more than a year previously.
At the national level, there are several initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with neurological conditions, including those with Huntington’s disease, such as the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology. NHS England has also established a Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically led programme to develop a new model of integrated care for neurology services. The National Neurosciences Advisory Group developed clinical pathways for adults with movement disorders, including Huntington’s disease. This is being used to inform the proposed changes to the neurology service model, which will in turn be used to revise the service specification for neurology.
It is vitally important that babies are diagnosed as early as possible so treatment can be provided. Current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance recommends measuring the head circumference of babies in the first week, at approximately eight weeks, and at other times only if there are concerns. The baby’s general practitioner, or nominated primary care examiner, has responsibility for ensuring the six-to-eight-week newborn infant physical examination screen, where head size is measured, is completed for all registered babies. The Department is seeking advice from the NICE and the royal colleges on the value of a clinical review of the current guidelines surrounding infant head circumference.
The Healthy Child Programme sets out the requirements for health visiting services, including five mandated reviews, where the child’s health and development is assessed. This includes when the baby is 10 to 14 days old, and at six to eight weeks old, as well as additional contacts depending on need, providing an opportunity to identify any health or development concerns and to make appropriate referrals. The Department and the NHS National Disease Registration Service do not hold information on the proportion of infants diagnosed after eight weeks.
It is vitally important that babies are diagnosed as early as possible so treatment can be provided. Current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance recommends measuring the head circumference of babies in the first week, at approximately eight weeks, and at other times only if there are concerns. The baby’s general practitioner, or nominated primary care examiner, has responsibility for ensuring the six-to-eight-week newborn infant physical examination screen, where head size is measured, is completed for all registered babies. The Department is seeking advice from the NICE and the royal colleges on the value of a clinical review of the current guidelines surrounding infant head circumference.
The Healthy Child Programme sets out the requirements for health visiting services, including five mandated reviews, where the child’s health and development is assessed. This includes when the baby is 10 to 14 days old, and at six to eight weeks old, as well as additional contacts depending on need, providing an opportunity to identify any health or development concerns and to make appropriate referrals. The Department and the NHS National Disease Registration Service do not hold information on the proportion of infants diagnosed after eight weeks.
Since 2019, there have been a total of 39 pharmacy closures in Surrey, and four in the Esher and Walton Constituency. In Surrey, this has broken down as: seven closures in 2019; six in 2020; four in 2021; two in 2022; and 15 in 2023, with a further five having closed between January and 30 September 2024. In Esher and Walton, there were no closures between 2019 and 2022. Three closed in 2023, and one closed between January and 30 September 2024.
We are aware of the reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, and recognise that pharmacy closures can impact on local communities. Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA.
Patients can also access the approximately 400 Distance Selling Pharmacies who must operate nationally and send medicines to patients’ home free of charge. In rural areas, dispensing doctors can also supply medicines.
Since 2019, there have been a total of 39 pharmacy closures in Surrey, and four in the Esher and Walton Constituency. In Surrey, this has broken down as: seven closures in 2019; six in 2020; four in 2021; two in 2022; and 15 in 2023, with a further five having closed between January and 30 September 2024. In Esher and Walton, there were no closures between 2019 and 2022. Three closed in 2023, and one closed between January and 30 September 2024.
We are aware of the reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, and recognise that pharmacy closures can impact on local communities. Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA.
Patients can also access the approximately 400 Distance Selling Pharmacies who must operate nationally and send medicines to patients’ home free of charge. In rural areas, dispensing doctors can also supply medicines.
This data is published annually by NHS England in the NHS Payments to General Practice Report and will be available in due course.
Data on patients registered at a general practice (GP) is published on a monthly basis, and is as follows for 2023/24: at the beginning of 2023/24, 1 April 2023, the largest practice had 106,308 patients, and the median average practice had 8,383 patients; and at the end of 2023/24, 1 April 2024, the largest practice had 98,469 patients, and the median average practice had 8,620 patients.
NHS England has overall responsibility for ensuring that there are sufficient primary medical services to meet the reasonable requirements of patients throughout the country. To do so, they will contract providers, such as GPs, to provide these services. GPs are required to provide services to meet the reasonable needs of the patients registered at their practice. This includes making their own workforce plans, and so there is no Government recommendation for how many patients a GP should have assigned.
We expect commissioners to act if services are not meeting the reasonable needs of their patients. Under GP Contract regulations, practices can apply to their commissioner to close their patient list to new registrations for a period of time for a number of reasons, including workload and staffing considerations.
This data is taken from the Patients Registered at a GP Practice data set, from NHS England Digital. It should be noted that practices can operate across multiple sites or use a digital first approach, which can account for a particularly large patient list. Further information on the data set is available at the following link:
We know that general practices (GPs) are working hard to deliver for their patients, and are delivering more appointments than ever before, however we know that some patients are struggling to access the care they need, and GPs are struggling to deliver it.
The GP Contract requires NHS England to arrange an annual review of GP contractors’ performance against their contractual obligations. Integrated care boards also consider concerns or complaints raised by patients, and can take action where services are not meeting the needs of their local population.
The UK is third largest humanitarian donor to the crisis in Sudan. We recognise the vital role played by Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs) and Mutual Aid Groups (MAGs) in delivering life-saving assistance across hard-to-reach areas of the country. As one of the most generous donors to the UN's 'Sudan Humanitarian Fund' (SHF), which supports ERRs and other local responders, UK support is reaching front-line Sudanese responders. We are also providing assistance to MAGs via an allocation to the NGOs Mercy Corps. As a member of the SHF Advisory Board we have worked with the UN to increase their proportion of funding to local responders from $13.6 million in 2023 to $57.5 million in 2025. We are now in the final stages of concluding funding agreements with two Sudanese organisations.
The Government's current priorities for international development remain the same as set out by the Minister for Development in her letters to the International Development Committee, the latest of which can be found here: [committees.parliament.uk/publications/48991/documents/257473/default/]
The conflict in Sudan and the widespread destruction of sanitation and health services has caused a devastating cholera outbreak with more than 100,000 cases and 2,500 deaths since July 2024. More than 33.5 million people are at risk across all 18 states. The UK Government is working with a range of international partners delivering lifesaving emergency health interventions, including cholera vaccines, treatment, and prevention. In addition, through a 'match funding' arrangement we have recently partnered with the State of Kuwait to deliver an additional £3.75 million to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), supplementing UK resources already allocated to combat the outbreak. We continue to urge the warring parties in Sudan to facilitate humanitarian access so that aid reaches those most in need.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 6 August to Question 67532.
At the April London Sudan Conference, the Foreign Secretary announced £120 million for this financial year, which will deliver life-saving services to more than 650,000 people. A portion of this uplift provides support to local responders both through the Sudan Humanitarian Fund, which supports the Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), and the Mercy Corps-led Cash Consortium for Sudan which provides direct cash assistance to Mutual Aid Groups and ERRs on the ground.
The UK is committed to promoting responsible business practice to reduce and prevent human rights abuses. We work through a number of international mechanisms, including supporting the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains. This enables business to continue to operate responsibly from conflict-affected and high-risk areas. The UK's new Critical Minerals Strategy will be published this summer and will help secure the supply of critical minerals that are vital for the UK's economic growth and clean energy transition, including tin, tantalum and tungsten, whilst promoting responsible and transparent supply chains.
The illicit gold trade fuels corruption and conflict, undermining the rule of law and entrenching human rights abuses such as child labour. Russia uses the illicit gold trade to launder money and evade sanctions, in doing so bolstering Putin's war efforts. The UK has sanctioned Russian gold and targeted illicit gold networks abroad, including through further sanctions in December 2024. The UK works with the London Bullion Market Association and World Gold Council to support responsible sourcing of gold and to build resilience to illicit gold flows. The London Bullion Market Association implements the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) industry-leading Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas to ensure proper risk identification and mitigation for conflict gold.
Healthy Women, Children and Newborns (HWCN) is the UK government's approach to help end preventable maternal, child and newborn deaths, supporting global efforts in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, and to end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age by 2030. The approach works to strengthen health systems; promote gender equality and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights; and support improved nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene and climate resilience in health.
The Spending Review 2025 confirmed the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget from 2026/27 onwards. Over the coming months, the Department will undertake detailed planning to determine how this budget will be allocated. The FCDO is reviewing how these allocations will support existing and future commitments, with a continued focus on ensuring all ODA spending delivers value for money and advances the UK's development priorities, including global health.
ODA has always been only one element of the UK's approach, alongside policy and diplomatic efforts. In April 2025, at the UN Commission on Population and Development, the UK cosponsored the launch of the Global Midwifery Accelerator, which aims to shift the dial on midwifery, encouraging partnerships and investment to end preventable maternal and neonatal deaths.
The latest UN Secretary General's report on Children and Armed Conflict is shocking. It shows that children are being harmed and denied lifesaving aid on an unprecedented scale.
As the UK made clear in our statement at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict on 25 June, the UK calls on all parties to armed conflict to immediately end and prevent grave violations against children and for perpetrators to be held to account. The UK also remains committed to promoting and defending the UN's Children and Armed Conflict mandate.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is currently reviewing our approach to children in conflict.
The UN Secretary General's 2025 report on Children and Armed Conflict is shocking; it shows that children are being harmed and denied lifesaving aid on an unprecedented scale.
As we made clear in our statement at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict on 25 June, the UK is deeply concerned at the worsening situation for children in conflict, and remains committed to both preventing and ending grave violations against children in conflict, and to supporting, promoting and defending the UN Children and Armed Conflict mandate.
The UK is an active member of the UN Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict and plays a key role in ensuring effective scrutiny by the UN Security Council of conflicts where children are harmed.
In 2024-25, the UK funded UNICEF's Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism, which is a vital tool in ensuring that perpetrators are held to account.
The trade of illicit gold funds conflict, undermines the rule of law, and perpetuates human rights abuses. The UK Government engages with the gold industry as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to support responsible sourcing and rigorous due diligence standards to enhance resilience to illicit gold and identify malign actors in the supply chain. Since the outbreak of the Sudan conflict, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces. Two of these sanctions target gold mining companies linked to the warring parties. In 2023, the UK also sanctioned three Russian-linked gold mining entities operating in Sudan. These sanctions were designed to disrupt the financial networks fuelling the war, press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. Although we do not speculate on future designations, our sanctions policy is continually under review. Furthermore, in our international engagement, we emphasise with all countries the need to refrain from actions that prolong the crisis, including those that may financially benefit the warring parties.
The trade of illicit gold funds conflict, undermines the rule of law, and perpetuates human rights abuses. The UK Government engages with the gold industry as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to support responsible sourcing and rigorous due diligence standards to enhance resilience to illicit gold and identify malign actors in the supply chain. Since the outbreak of the Sudan conflict, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces. Two of these sanctions target gold mining companies linked to the warring parties. In 2023, the UK also sanctioned three Russian-linked gold mining entities operating in Sudan. These sanctions were designed to disrupt the financial networks fuelling the war, press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. Although we do not speculate on future designations, our sanctions policy is continually under review. Furthermore, in our international engagement, we emphasise with all countries the need to refrain from actions that prolong the crisis, including those that may financially benefit the warring parties.
The trade of illicit gold funds conflict, undermines the rule of law, and perpetuates human rights abuses. The UK Government engages with the gold industry as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to support responsible sourcing and rigorous due diligence standards to enhance resilience to illicit gold and identify malign actors in the supply chain. Since the outbreak of the Sudan conflict, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces. Two of these sanctions target gold mining companies linked to the warring parties. In 2023, the UK also sanctioned three Russian-linked gold mining entities operating in Sudan. These sanctions were designed to disrupt the financial networks fuelling the war, press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. Although we do not speculate on future designations, our sanctions policy is continually under review. Furthermore, in our international engagement, we emphasise with all countries the need to refrain from actions that prolong the crisis, including those that may financially benefit the warring parties.
We are deeply concerned that the deconfliction system in Gaza, designed to protect humanitarian workers from harm, is no longer functioning. Gaza remains the most dangerous place for humanitarians in the world, with over 400 killed since 7 October 2023. We are appalled by recent reports of attacks on humanitarian workers, including the UN and Palestine Red Crescent. This is why the UK and France called a Security Council meeting on 28 March on the protection of aid workers in Gaza. Humanitarian personnel must be protected and never targeted. At the UN Security Council meeting on 3 April, we urged Israel to urgently restore effective deconfliction, to allow aid workers them to operate without coming under attack, and conduct thorough investigations into all incidents involving aid workers and medical personnel and ensure accountability for those responsible.
The Foreign Secretary is in regular contact with all relevant counterparts, including Israeli, on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. He last held discussions with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on 21 March, and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer on 20 March. The UK made statements in the UN Security Council on Thursday 3 April, Friday 21 March and Tuesday 18 March and joined a G7 Foreign Ministers' statement on 14 March. The UK also issued a statement with E3 Foreign Ministers on Friday 21 March calling on all parties to re-engage with negotiations to ensure the ceasefire is implemented in full and becomes permanent.
The Prime Minister spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this year. He welcomed the release of hostages, highlighted that it was vital to ensure humanitarian aid could flow uninterrupted into Gaza, and stressed the need to work towards a permanent and peaceful solution. We continue to make representations to the Government of Israel, including via the Foreign Secretary to Foreign Affairs Minister Sa'ar on 21 March, about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank, including the need to return urgently to a ceasefire and to restore the flow of aid in Gaza, and to ensure civilians are protected across the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office officials are in contact with the International Development Committee clerks to identify a date for the Foreign Secretary to give evidence.
The Home Secretary is committed to ensuring that asylum costs fall and has already acted. The Government has taken measures to reduce the asylum backlog, reform the asylum accommodation system to end the use of expensive accommodation in the next Spending Review period and increase detention capacity to facilitate more asylum removals. Whilst there will always be volatility in asylum forecasts, we expect these decisions to drive down overall in-donor refugee costs over the next Spending Review.
Detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments. The ODA Board's first meeting in February 2025 focused on in-donor refugee costs. The co-chairs, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and former Minister for Development, were joined by the Minister for Border Security and Asylum.
The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Given the multi-year nature of many international development spending commitments, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is currently reassessing its ODA spending plans for the financial year of 2025/26 to ensure they deliver maximum value for money in the context of the transition to spending 0.3 per cent of gross national income on ODA by 2027. Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments.