Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will confirm that the new Secretary of State of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will continue to report annually on (a) aid levels across Government and (b) the effect of policies pursued by government departments on sustainable development and poverty reduction.

The Government will continue to be guided by its responsibilities under the International Development Act and will undertake the necessary parliamentary process to transfer responsibilities under the International Development Act to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. This merger is not about changing our high standards for overseas spending. We will continue to look at how our aid budget can be spent most effectively in our national interest, including through the Integrated Review - which will inform the priorities of the new department.