Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the contribution made by the armed forces to humanitarian and international aid as an addition to the annual Official Development Assistance budget.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) works closely with colleagues across Government to ensure humanitarian and international aid gets to the countries that need it.

The MOD supports the FCDO with its Official Development Assistance programme, facilitates the transportation of humanitarian aid to ODA-eligible countries and contributes to cross-government responses to humanitarian crises and natural disasters. This includes our response to natural disasters in the Caribbean region under Operation VENTUS, with a principle focus on support to UK Overseas Territories during the Caribbean Hurricane Season. Most recently in 2022, support has been provided in the Turks and Caicos Islands in the wake of Hurricane FIONA and in the Cayman Islands after Hurricane IAN.