Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with which civil society and development partners she held discussions on the potential merger of her Department with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office before the decision to merge the Departments was made.

The Prime Minister has decided to merge the Department for International Development with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to form a new international department – the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The Government will continue to engage closely with interested stakeholders, including UK and international NGOs, in the weeks and months to come as we work to create the new department, which will unite our development expertise and first class diplomatic service to make the UK a greater force for good in the world.