Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any projects involving the production of palm oil have been funded by Official Development Assistance from (a) his Department and (b) the Commonwealth Development Corporation in any of the last three years.

FCDO supports trade in sustainable palm oil and efforts to tackle deforestation associated with palm oil through a combination of diplomatic engagement, policy measures and development assistance. FCDO, jointly with BEIS, fund the Partnerships for Forests programme which works with the Government of Indonesia to strengthen Indonesia's palm oil sustainability standards. FCDO also provides funds to the Tropical Forest Alliance which brings together over 180 companies, governments and civil society organisations to tackle deforestation associated with palm oil and other commodities. The Government also supports the UK Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil initiative, which works towards a commitment to source 100% of palm oil from sustainable sources, and through the Amsterdam Declarations Partnership we continue to collaborate with other European countries to implement similar commitments.

In the past three years CDC has supported one business involved in the primary production of palm oil - Feronia Inc. CDC's investment into the company, based in a remote area of DRC, was aimed at providing economic opportunities for local people as well as improvements to healthcare, education, clean water and infrastructure provision.