Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support anti-corruption activities in Ukraine.

Corruption remains a major threat to Ukraine's stability and national security. It is vital that those in positions of authority show leadership and that Ukraine steps up its fight against corruption. Fundamental reforms are required - in particular to address anti-corruption - through reforms to the judicial system, further privatisation and the development of anti-monopoly legislation.

The UK is supporting a range of anti-corruption programmes in Ukraine, through the Good Governance and Conflict, Stability and Security Funds. The UK has also invested significantly in the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and supported the establishment of the High Anti-Corruption Court. These are critical pieces of the anti-corruption machinery, which should make a significant contribution to investigating and punishing corruption. It is imperative that anti-corruption institutions are strengthened and allowed to work free from political interference. This is a message that we continue to give to Ukrainian interlocutors, bilaterally and through our chairing of the G7 Ambassadors' reform group in Kyiv.