Every parliamentary written question tabled by Helen Hayes this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–15 of 15 · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact on the transparency of UK overseas development assistance.
I refer the Hon Member to Baroness Chapman's appearance before the International Development Committee on 20 January, where she addressed these issues at length.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact on the effectiveness of UK overseas development assistance spending.
I refer the Hon Member to Baroness Chapman's appearance before the International Development Committee on 20 January, where she addressed these issues at length.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding was given by her Department to the Independent Commission for Aid Impact in each of the last five years.
I refer the Hon Member to the Minister for International Development's appearance before the International Development Committee on 20 January, where she addressed these issues at length.The Independent Commission for Aid Impact's (ICAI) budget allocation for 2025/26 is £3.97 million. Details of its past funding can be found in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) annual reports and accounts, and decisions on its future funding will be announced in due course when we publish our allocations of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget up to 2028/29. The FCDO remains committed to full transparency and scrutiny of our ODA spend.Over the previous five financial years (2021/22 to 2025/26), ICAI have published on average 5.6 reviews and 1.6 shorter information notes per year. This financial year, ICAI have published 2 reviews to date.Ministers and FCDO officials continue to have regular engagement with ICAI.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what engagement has she had with the a) Independent Commission for Aid Impact and b) recipients of UK overseas development assistance, on future funding for the ICAI.
I refer the Hon Member to the Minister for International Development's appearance before the International Development Committee on 20 January, where she addressed these issues at length.The Independent Commission for Aid Impact's (ICAI) budget allocation for 2025/26 is £3.97 million. Details of its past funding can be found in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) annual reports and accounts, and decisions on its future funding will be announced in due course when we publish our allocations of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget up to 2028/29. The FCDO remains committed to full transparency and scrutiny of our ODA spend.Over the previous five financial years (2021/22 to 2025/26), ICAI have published on average 5.6 reviews and 1.6 shorter information notes per year. This financial year, ICAI have published 2 reviews to date.Ministers and FCDO officials continue to have regular engagement with ICAI.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps is she taking to ensure future scrutiny and transparency of UK overseas development and assistance.
I refer the Hon Member to the Minister for International Development's appearance before the International Development Committee on 20 January, where she addressed these issues at length.The Independent Commission for Aid Impact's (ICAI) budget allocation for 2025/26 is £3.97 million. Details of its past funding can be found in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) annual reports and accounts, and decisions on its future funding will be announced in due course when we publish our allocations of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget up to 2028/29. The FCDO remains committed to full transparency and scrutiny of our ODA spend.Over the previous five financial years (2021/22 to 2025/26), ICAI have published on average 5.6 reviews and 1.6 shorter information notes per year. This financial year, ICAI have published 2 reviews to date.Ministers and FCDO officials continue to have regular engagement with ICAI.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what is the longest waiting time for a Academic Technology Approval Scheme application to be processed was in the last 12 months.
Most Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) applications are straight forward and 98% of applications during the past year were processed within 30 working days. Between 1 January 2025 to 13 November 2025, the Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office received 33,945 ATAS applications. 670 of those applications were delayed beyond 30 working days.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the current average waiting time for Academic Technology Approval Scheme applications to be processed is.
Most Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) applications are straight forward and 98% of applications during the past year were processed within 30 working days. Between 1 January 2025 to 13 November 2025, the Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office received 33,945 ATAS applications. 670 of those applications were delayed beyond 30 working days.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many outstanding applications for Academic Technology Approval Scheme applications have waited for longer than 30 working days.
Most Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) applications are straight forward and 98% of applications during the past year were processed within 30 working days. Between 1 January 2025 to 13 November 2025, the Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office received 33,945 ATAS applications. 670 of those applications were delayed beyond 30 working days.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to her Israeli counterpart on (a) forced evictions of Palestinian families and (b) home demolitions in Silwan.
The UK is concerned by reports of evictions of Palestinian families and home demolitions in East Jerusalem, including Silwan. In all but the most exceptional cases, demolitions by an occupying power are contrary to international law.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what amount of UK ODA is projected to be allocated to tuberculosis (a) prevention and (b) treatment in Malawi in each of the next three financial years.
I am pleased to confirm the UK will pledge £850 million to the Global Fund's Eighth Replenishment 2026-2028. This investment is expected to help save up to 1.3 million lives and avert up to 22 million new cases of HIV, TB, and malaria globally, delivering up to £13 billion in economic returns. The Global Fund allocation to Malawi will be determined following the conclusion of the replenishment.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much official development assistance funding was allocated for tuberculosis (a) prevention and (b) treatment in Malawi in each financial year since 2015-16.
In November 2022, the UK pledged £1 billion to the 7th replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which will help to provide tuberculosis (TB) treatment and care for 98,000 people, screen 1.8 million people for TB and provide 3,700 people with treatment for multidrug-resistant TB. Previous UK contributions to the Global Fund were £800 million during 2014-16, £1.2 billion during 2017-19, and £1.4 billion during 2020-22.The UK contribution to the Global Fund is not earmarked by country or disease, so the requested breakdown is not available. However, the Global Fund allocation to Malawi was US$450 million in 2017-19 (including $9 million for TB), $513 million during 2020-22 (including $20 million for TB) and a pledged total of $517 million for 2023-25 (including $20 million for TB).
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help increase capacity building within the African Union to tackle human rights violations.
The UK is committed to supporting the African Union's capacity to tackle human rights violations across Africa. This includes support to African Union-led efforts on conflict resolution, governance and security, which help to reduce the factors that often underpin human rights abuses. The UK is a leading supporter of the African Union's peacekeeping mission in Somalia, their continued mediation efforts in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan and their efforts to call for a return to democracy in countries such as Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what development aid his Department is providing to Tigray in Ethiopia to help (a) support the victims of sexual violence and (b) tackle violence against women and girls.
Women and girls are a priority focus of UK aid across Ethiopia. UK aid is providing safe spaces for women and girls as well as support across health, social and legal services.Detailed decisions on how the future Official Development Assistance budget will be used will be determined as part of the ongoing Spending Review. We are assessing implications of the US funding pause across development sectors and geographic regions including Ethiopia. We are gathering information and working with donor partners to share analysis of the pause and understand its impact.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent a breakdown of the peace agreement in Tigray.
The UK is working with partners to prevent a return to conflict in the region by supporting implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. On 13 March, the UK issued a joint statement with the European Union and 23 other countries emphasising our support for the agreement and urging all parties to refrain from violence and engage in urgent dialogue.We regularly engage all parties and the African Union guarantors of the agreement, to encourage implementation on the return of internally displaced persons and other outstanding issues. The UK also provides support for the demobilisation, disarmament, and reintegration process and funds the African Union's monitoring of the agreement as well as international and Ethiopian human rights monitoring. We also support investigatory capacity building across the country.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed funding reductions to (a) Overseas Development Assistance and (b) USAID on the rebuilding of Tigray following the cessation of the civil war in Ethiopia.
Women and girls are a priority focus of UK aid across Ethiopia. UK aid is providing safe spaces for women and girls as well as support across health, social and legal services.Detailed decisions on how the future Official Development Assistance budget will be used will be determined as part of the ongoing Spending Review. We are assessing implications of the US funding pause across development sectors and geographic regions including Ethiopia. We are gathering information and working with donor partners to share analysis of the pause and understand its impact.