Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent steps she has taken to prevent UK development aid funding being used to support international terrorism.

The Department for International Development has a zero tolerance approach to UK aid funds being diverted to fund terrorist activities and the UK Government publishes a list of prescribed extremist groups or organisations banned under UK law. Where there are allegations of misuse of aid funds, these are investigated fully by the Department’s specialist Counter Fraud Unit, and funds are always recovered to the fullest extent possible.

The Department has robust measures in place to protect, prevent, and detect the diversion of aid. Controls are embedded through-out the programme cycle and are continually revised and adapted to meet evolving threats and changes in operational circumstances. The Department has recently strengthened its already rigorous due diligence process and comprehensive risk management framework which requires risks to be identified prior to the disbursement of UK aid.