Written questions by Brandreth.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much and what proportion of the overseas aid budget is spent on asylum seekers in the UK.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer of 9 June to Question 56044.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of reductions to overseas aid on Jordan.

Jordan is one of the UK's most trusted allies and important humanitarian partners in the region. The Minister for International Development made Jordan her first official visit overseas in her new role in March 2025, and discussed the future UK-Jordan official development assistance budget with her counterpart HE Zeina Toukan, Minister for Planning and International Cooperation during the inaugural UK-Jordan Development and Growth Dialogue in May. While reductions in the UK overseas aid budget for Jordan are consistent with the gradual reduction in the UK official development assistance (ODA) budget over the next few years, we will continue to support stability and self-sufficiency for Jordan and tackle drivers of migration through our development and broader work.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much and what proportion of the overseas aid budget is spent domestically.

I refer the Honourable Member to the figures here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-on-international-development-final-uk-oda-spend-2024.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to conclude a separate agreement with the Government of Mauritius on the support and assistance provided by the UK in the establishment and management of a new marine protected area, under Article 5 of the UK-Mauritius agreement on the sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago.

As the Treaty states, the support that the UK will provide Mauritius in establishing and managing the Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area will be agreed between the Parties by a separate written instrument, as part of implementation of the Agreement.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assistance the UK will provide as part of the separate agreement to be made with Mauritius on the new marine protected area, under Article 5 of the UK-Mauritius agreement on the sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago.

As the Treaty states, the support that the UK will provide Mauritius in establishing and managing the Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area will be agreed between the Parties by a separate written instrument, as part of implementation of the Agreement.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the marine protected area around the Chagos Archipelago since its establishment in 2010.

The British Indian Ocean Territory Administration has responsibility for the management and monitoring of its Marine Protected Area, which includes measures to tackle Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing and the monitoring of marine biodiversity.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Government of Mauritius on recognising the UK-established marine protected area around the Chagos Archipelago in advance of the transfer of sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius.

As the Treaty states, the support that the UK will provide Mauritius in establishing and managing the Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area will be agreed between the Parties by a separate written instrument, as part of implementation of the Agreement.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has received guarantees from the Government of Mauritius on (a) the territorial extent, (b) the level of protection and (c) the means of management of its proposed marine protected area around the Chagos Archipelago, under Article 5 of the UK-Mauritius agreement on the sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago.

As the Treaty states, the support that the UK will provide Mauritius in establishing and managing the Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area will be agreed between the Parties by a separate written instrument, as part of implementation of the Agreement.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many ODA-funded projects currently operating in Ukraine (a) have secured funding beyond 2024–25 and (b) are at risk of early termination due to ODA budget constraints.

Both the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have reaffirmed the need to support Ukraine's needs over the long term as a priority for our future development assistance. Detailed decisions on how the Official Developmental Assistance budget will be used are being worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments. Funding allocation decisions for the current financial year are ongoing and will prioritise support for those most in need, including for Ukraine.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which ODA-funded programmes in countries classified as (a) non-priority, (b) high-income and (c) of no current strategic interest are due to receive funding in the 2 025-26 financial year; and whether any such programmes are planned for reduction or cessation.

We will publish the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Official Development Assistance allocations for Financial Year 2025/26 in the Annual Report & Accounts in July.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many ODA-funded projects operating in Ukraine (a) have secured funding beyond 2024–25 and (b) are at risk of early termination due to ODA budget constraints.

Both the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have reaffirmed the need to support Ukraine's needs over the long term as a priority for our future development assistance. Detailed decisions on how the Official Developmental Assistance budget will be used are being worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments. Funding allocation decisions for the current financial year are ongoing and will prioritise support for those most in need, including for Ukraine.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure continuity of humanitarian aid funding to Ukraine beyond the 2025-26 financial year; and whether there are any forthcoming funding cliff-edges.

As the Prime Minister has said in Parliament, we will continue to support Ukraine's humanitarian needs. Funding allocation decisions for the current financial year are ongoing, and we will prioritise support for those most in need. We continue to work with international partners and non-governmental organisations to respond to those urgent needs. The second phase of the Spending Review is currently underway and will inform spending plans for 2026/27 onwards.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of the revised ODA budget in the 2024–25 financial year is allocated to support Ukraine; and how much was allocated in (a) 2022–23 and (b) 2023–24.

The UK is a leading bilateral donor to Ukraine. In 2022-23, UK Official Developmental Assistance (ODA) spend for Ukraine was £210.11 million and in 2023-2024 it was £222.95 million.The UK allocated £236.7 million of ODA financing for Ukraine in the 2024/25 financial year. The final outturn and future planned allocations will be published in the 2024-25 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Annual Report and Accounts in summer 2025 (https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2025-02-06/hcws421 5 February 2025).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any UK Government-funded humanitarian aid projects in Ukraine are scheduled to conclude in 2024; and what assessment has been made of the impact of discontinuation on the Ukrainian population.

We are proud of our fast, flexible, and responsive support to Ukrainians living through Russia's invasion. The UK has provided £477 million in humanitarian support to Ukraine and the region since the start of the full-scale invasion. The Prime Minister has recently said in Parliament that we will continue to support Ukraine's humanitarian needs. Funding allocation decisions for the current financial year are ongoing, which will prioritise support for those most in need. We continue to work with Ukrainian government systems, local organisations, international partners, and non-governmental organisations to respond to those needs.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of ODA reductions on support for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine; and whether he plans to ringfence funding for such programmes in conflict zones.

The UK remains committed to ensuring justice for Ukrainian survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). We will continue to provide capacity building support to respond to CRSV through the UK Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI), to help embed international guidance and best practice, including on survivor-centred approaches, into the work of Ukrainian investigators and prosecutors.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans his Department has to prioritise funding within the reduced ODA budget for the reconstruction and rebuilding of (a) healthcare, (b) housing and (c) education infrastructure in Ukraine.

Recovery and reconstruction in Ukraine is estimated to require a total cost of $524 billion over the next decade. Given the scale of the damage, the UK's aim is to use its Official Developmental Assistance resources to deliver impact directly, mobilise other financing and facilitate the UK private sector to engage in supporting the recovery process.Through initiatives like the Foundations for Infrastructure and Recovery (FIRE) programme, we are helping the Government of Ukraine to lay the foundations for a robust approach to infrastructure identification, appraisal, project preparation, design, and delivery in support of Ukraine's reconstruction.Through the UK-led multi-donor programme Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine (PFRU), we support local Ukrainian authorities with direct assistance to enable the repair of critical services in regions on the front line. In its first phase, PFRU completed 401 rapid recovery interventions to improve service delivery across eight oblasts in front line areas, enabling more than 2 million residents to regain access to priority services such as healthcare, education, power, and water supplies. Our funding remains prioritised to those in greatest need.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of UNRWA in removing antisemitic material from school textbooks used in (a) the West Bank and (b) Gaza.

Education is an essential component to the humanitarian response in Gaza, and critical to building the foundations for a sustainable and lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people. It is therefore essential that partners delivering education services across the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), including United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), uphold the highest standards of neutrality. Catherine Colonna's Independent Review of Mechanisms and Procedures to Ensure Adherence by UNRWA to the Humanitarian Principle of Neutrality notes that the most recent UNRWA Rapid Review of textbooks from the Palestinian Authority (2022/2023) "found that 3.85 per cent of all textbook pages contain issues of concern to UN values, guidance, or position on the conflict". The UK supports the Colonna review's conclusion that "the presence of even a small fraction of problematic content in textbooks, supplemental material and teaching content remains a serious issue." We welcome the initiatives launched by UNRWA to ensure neutrality of its educational material and teaching, in addition to its long-standing work with UNESCO and the Palestinian Authority to reform curricula and educational materials. £1 million of UK funding to UNRWA this financial year has been earmarked for the implementation of the Colonna review's recommendations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the proportion of international aid that has been misappropriated by terrorist organisations in Gaza.

Aid diversion is an ongoing concern in Gaza, but we welcome reports that more aid is now entering Gaza, and looting has reduced. Israel must now continue to work with partners to ensure law and order is maintained in Gaza so that safe distribution of aid across the Gaza strip is sustained. Most of our aid budget for the Occupied Palestinian Territories is disbursed as funding to trusted partners. The UK conducts thorough due diligence assessments of partners to ensure procedures are in place to manage the risks of aid diversion and to report losses. Programmes are monitored regularly, including through annual and project completion reviews.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his Department's planned timetable is for concluding negotiations on the UK-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement; and what steps he is taking to support Armenia in closer engagement with the West.

I reiterated this government's steadfast support and respect for Armenia to Foreign Minister Mirzoyan on 11 October. We will continue to support Armenia through our programming engagement to develop its governance and rule of law, our defence cooperation and our trade and economic ties.Deepening our trading relationships is an important part of this government's Growth Mission. The Department for Business and Trade is currently developing a new Trade Strategy and the FCDO is reviewing the Political Cooperation Agreement negotiations which were underway when the election was called. Next steps for the UK-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement are part of this work.