Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if her Department will take steps to reduce bureaucratic requirements for UK-based international charities during the covid-19 outbreak.

DFID’s approach, in line with the government’s overall approach, is to work collaboratively with partners, including UK based international charities, to find flexible solutions that maintain delivery of essential programmes as far as possible. This applies across grants and contracts, and we are working hard to develop more comprehensive guidance for our partners in these areas.

DFID Smart Rules and programme delivery processes are kept under constant review to ensure that they are appropriate, both for partners and in meeting our responsibilities for spending public money.