Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, with reference to paragraph 4.27 of the report by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact entitled ICAI follow-up review of 2022-23 reports, published on 16 May 2024, if he will take steps to issue guidance on police reform and restricting the use of official development assistance funding for civilian policing tasks.

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) rules state that activities to support routine civil policing functions with the overall goal of promoting economic development and welfare of developing countries are ODA-eligible. Robust processes are in place, including Overseas Security and Justice Assistance Guidance, to ensure ODA spend on civilian policing meets these requirements. The FCDO continually keeps under review its guidance on support for security sector reform. There is no specific plan to issue new guidance on the use of ODA to fund civilian policing tasks.