Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make it his policy to spend at least 50 per cent of his Department's budget in fragile and conflict-affected states and regions.

Fragile and Conflict Affected States are central in the International Development Strategy (IDS), which aims to tackle the causes of crises and build the long-term foundations for lasting development. We cannot end extreme poverty in low- and middle-income countries without tackling conflict and fragility.

Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations are being directed towards the strategic priorities of the IDS. The World Bank publishes an annual list of Fragile and Conflict Affected Situations. Eight of the top 10 country recipients of UK bilateral ODA in 2021 are on the World Bank list.