Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what savings will make up the £2.9 billion package of reductions to the Government’s planned Official Development Assistance spend for 2020 announced by the First Secretary of State on 22 July, including (1) forecast underspends, (2) delays to planned activity, and (3) cancellation of planned spending.

The First Secretary led a careful review process to look at every strand of the ODA budget and assess the impacts of spend. Ministers prioritised programmes based on strategic objectives such as poverty reduction for the ‘bottom billion’, tackling climate change and reversing biodiversity loss, championing girls’ education, and the global response to Covid-19. Currently we are discussing specific savings with suppliers and partners and we will publish the revised ODA allocations in due course after this process has been completed.