Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) due diligence, and (2) procurement, processes were undertaken by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office prior to awarding the Ozanne Foundation £805,000 of project funding for the period 2024–28.
The FCDO's LGBT rights programme aims to transform the lives of millions of LGBT people around the world by reducing violence and discrimination, improving economic and social inclusion and legislative reform. Procurement for the first round of funding took place through a call for proposals which went out in June 2023. Following a due diligence process the Ozanne Foundation received £20,000 in 2023/24 to initiate a project to develop a residential course for senior religious leaders from around the world. The final workplan and budget for April 2024 onwards will be agreed after a satisfactory due diligence assessment of the lead programme partner, Regent's Park College, University of Oxford. It was announced by the Cabinet Office Minister on 13 May that all future contracts for external diversity spending will be signed off by ministers.