Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to close the Fleming Fund and, if so, whether they have an alternative model for maintaining Britain's antimicrobial resistance commitments.

As set out at the Spring Statement, the Government is reducing its Official Development Assistance (ODA) from 0.5% to 0.3% of gross national income by 2027 to respond to pressing security and defence challenges that the United Kingdom is facing. As a result, the Fleming Fund will close at the end of its current grant agreements by March 2026. The Government is committed to exiting the Fleming Fund responsibly. Each country context is different, and we are currently in discussions with governments and partners to ensure all possibilities of sustainability are explored. We are working through detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used in future years, including future allocations for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) activities. This will be informed by internal and external consultation and impact assessments, ahead of publishing indicative multi-year allocations in the autumn.

Tackling AMR remains a priority for the Government and is vital for protecting our National Health Service, including via delivery of the UK National Action Plan on AMR, as laid out in the recent publication of the 10-Year Health Plan. Through global partnerships and diplomacy, the UK is working with our partners to drive robust implementation of the commitments from the Political Declaration, including on the importance of strengthening multisectoral surveillance.