Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to work with (a) The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development and (b) other relevant charities to help reduce the high interest public debt owed by certain developing countries.

This question was answered on 23rd July 2025
The UK is concerned by impacts of the high debt servicing costs faced by developing countries. We fully support the World Bank and IMF’s ‘three pillars’ approach to countries facing liquidity (i.e. short-term payment) challenges.

Enhanced transparency will be a focus of the London Coalition on Sustainable Sovereign Debt, which launched on 23^rd June. As part of its wider objectives, the group will work with UK and global private creditors to develop a better understanding of the debt obligations owed by developing countries

UK Government officials engage with the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development and other relevant organisations on a regular basis and will continue to do so as we work to address the challenge of high-interest public debt in developing countries.