Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the closure of the Prosperity Fund in 2021 on his Department's work to reduce poverty.

The cross-government Prosperity Fund ended on 31 March 2021 and prosperity programming moved to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. While some programmes closed, other programmes continued to run and continue to support fighting global poverty.

The Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) regularly reviews FCDO programming. Their 2023 impact review, covering the organisation's reports from 2019 to 2023, noted that, despite pressures, many aid programmes are still making a positive difference globally.

The new government is committed to strengthening international development work within the FCDO. We will continue to prioritise support for economic transformation, tackling unsustainable debt, empowering women and girls, supporting conflict prevention, and unlocking climate finance.