Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any role in selecting and overseeing those local partner organisations of the Norwegian Refugee Council that receive money donated by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; and, if so, what procedures are used.

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is a leading international NGO and a trusted aid partner to the FCDO providing life-saving support to vulnerable populations around the world. The FCDO has a longstanding relationship with NRC, which is headquartered and registered in Oslo. NRC has a UK presence and was registered as a UK charity in December 2023.

FCDO funds go directly to NRC, which in turn may provide funds to its local partner organisations. The exact selection process and any HMG involvement will vary according to the programme and context. The FCDO carries out due diligence assessments of partners it funds directly, including the NRC. The FCDO's Programme Operating Framework and associated guidance enables staff to ensure that FCDO partners in receipt of aid funds are operating in compliance with sanctions and counter-terrorism legislation. The FCDO due diligence process should consider whether partners have procedures in place to manage the risk of aid diversion in their delivery chains, such as the risk of support to sanctioned entities or proscribed terrorist groups.

We are not aware of any funds provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to the Norwegian Refugee Council being transferred to local partner organisations that have been designated as terrorist organisations by the government of Israel.