Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his Department's policies of the conclusions of the report published on 23 September by Save the Children entitled Transformative Aid: How UK aid can transform global development and children’s futures.

DFID has reviewed the report and welcomes its focus on long-term, systemic change which is central to DFID’s approach. Women and girls’ health and education are a top priority for DFID. At the UN General Assembly the Secretary of State announced £600 million in new funding for family planning supplies for women and girls in the world’s poorest countries. This week the UK announced a £515 million package of support for education. DFID is committed to generational transformation for the world’s poorest and already spends 57% of its bilateral budget on fragile and conflict affected states. The UK will host the Vaccine Alliance pledging conference next year to help create a healthier world. I welcome the report acknowledging DFID’s high standards of transparency and effectiveness. Other departments are making good progress and DFID continues to support.