Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that affected local people are included in the delivery of Official Development Assistance.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) takes a comprehensive and inclusive approach to the delivery of Overseas Development Aid, with a focus on ensuring that affected local people are actively involved in all stages of the programme cycle. The Programme Operating Framework sets out the FCDO's approach to programme management - including the mandatory rules, principles, roles and responsibilities and governance. This emphasises the importance of beneficiary engagement to improve outcomes - and ensuring interventions are context-specific, good value for money and transparent. It also highlights the importance of ensuring beneficiaries are safe from harm, as well as being empowered to speak out if harm is done through established feedback mechanisms. Additionally, the FCDO collaborates with local partners to understand their capacity and ensure sustainable interventions.