Written questions by Cordova.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department are developing new mechanisms to monitor compliance with international humanitarian law in Gaza, in the context of the closure of the international humanitarian law cell.

The Media reports that the Honourable Member refers to are misleading. The International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Cell has moved, not closed. As part of an internal restructure, the Cell and its functions continue to operate from within a different team in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The work of the FCDO assessing IHL risks arising from the conflict in Gaza is not being discontinued. The FCDO continues to draw on a range of sources and expertise to inform its assessments and approach to IHL issues, and we also continue to retain access to all FCDO-funded research previously carried out into alleged IHL violations.We are in the process of reforming the FCDO to build a more capable, agile and resilient organisation that can respond quickly to changing challenges and crises, and operate effectively within the financial constraints that we are operating under in this spending review period. This process inevitably involves the restructuring of teams across the FCDO to deliver our objectives in a more streamlined and better-integrated way. It is important that Honourable Members do not mistake any changes of structure and nomenclature for changes in the priority that we attach to different issues and responsibilities, especially in areas as critical as this.IHL assessments support UK export licensing decisions. On the delivery and oversight of UK funded humanitarian assistance in Gaza, we continue to call for urgent action to open all the crossings, lift restrictions and flood Gaza with aid.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking with international partners to expand access to basic eye care services, including cataract surgery and vision correction, in low- and middle‑income countries.

The UK is committed to tackling global health challenges and considers eye health within this wider agenda. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is transforming its approach to global health by moving from direct service delivery to supporting countries with technical expertise and long-term system strengthening, including through our fully flexible funding to the World Health Organization. The new Global Health Community of Expertise will connect partners with UK and global knowledge, innovation and investment. This demand-led, partnership model is designed to help countries access the resources they need to address their own health challenges, including on eye health.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to advance the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government commitment on taking action towards achieving access to quality eye care for all, including eliminating blinding trachoma.

The UK is committed to tackling global health challenges and considers eye health within this wider agenda. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is transforming its approach to global health by moving from direct service delivery to supporting countries with technical expertise and long-term system strengthening, including through our fully flexible funding to the World Health Organization. The new Global Health Community of Expertise will connect partners with UK and global knowledge, innovation and investment. This demand-led, partnership model is designed to help countries access the resources they need to address their own health challenges, including on eye health.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the closure of the FCDO unit responsible for monitoring potential breaches of international humanitarian law on the delivery and oversight of UK funded humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

The Media reports that the Honourable Member refers to are misleading. The International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Cell has moved, not closed. As part of an internal restructure, the Cell and its functions continue to operate from within a different team in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The work of the FCDO assessing IHL risks arising from the conflict in Gaza is not being discontinued. The FCDO continues to draw on a range of sources and expertise to inform its assessments and approach to IHL issues, and we also continue to retain access to all FCDO-funded research previously carried out into alleged IHL violations.We are in the process of reforming the FCDO to build a more capable, agile and resilient organisation that can respond quickly to changing challenges and crises, and operate effectively within the financial constraints that we are operating under in this spending review period. This process inevitably involves the restructuring of teams across the FCDO to deliver our objectives in a more streamlined and better-integrated way. It is important that Honourable Members do not mistake any changes of structure and nomenclature for changes in the priority that we attach to different issues and responsibilities, especially in areas as critical as this.IHL assessments support UK export licensing decisions. On the delivery and oversight of UK funded humanitarian assistance in Gaza, we continue to call for urgent action to open all the crossings, lift restrictions and flood Gaza with aid.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has assessed the potential merits of advocating international action to reduce avoidable sight loss at the Global Summit for Eye Health in November 2026.

The UK is committed to tackling global health challenges and considers eye health within this wider agenda. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is transforming its approach to global health by moving from direct service delivery to supporting countries with technical expertise and long-term system strengthening, including through our fully flexible funding to the World Health Organization. The new Global Health Community of Expertise will connect partners with UK and global knowledge, innovation and investment. This demand-led, partnership model is designed to help countries access the resources they need to address their own health challenges, including on eye health.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what arrangements are in place to identify and escalate emerging risks of breaches of international humanitarian law in relation to Gaza within her Department, in the context of the closure of the relevant FCDO unit.

The Media reports that the Honourable Member refers to are misleading. The International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Cell has moved, not closed. As part of an internal restructure, the Cell and its functions continue to operate from within a different team in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The work of the FCDO assessing IHL risks arising from the conflict in Gaza is not being discontinued. The FCDO continues to draw on a range of sources and expertise to inform its assessments and approach to IHL issues, and we also continue to retain access to all FCDO-funded research previously carried out into alleged IHL violations.We are in the process of reforming the FCDO to build a more capable, agile and resilient organisation that can respond quickly to changing challenges and crises, and operate effectively within the financial constraints that we are operating under in this spending review period. This process inevitably involves the restructuring of teams across the FCDO to deliver our objectives in a more streamlined and better-integrated way. It is important that Honourable Members do not mistake any changes of structure and nomenclature for changes in the priority that we attach to different issues and responsibilities, especially in areas as critical as this.IHL assessments support UK export licensing decisions. On the delivery and oversight of UK funded humanitarian assistance in Gaza, we continue to call for urgent action to open all the crossings, lift restrictions and flood Gaza with aid.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to include eye health interventions in future UK international development and global health programmes.

The UK is committed to tackling global health challenges and considers eye health within this wider agenda. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is transforming its approach to global health by moving from direct service delivery to supporting countries with technical expertise and long-term system strengthening, including through our fully flexible funding to the World Health Organization. The new Global Health Community of Expertise will connect partners with UK and global knowledge, innovation and investment. This demand-led, partnership model is designed to help countries access the resources they need to address their own health challenges, including on eye health.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what role eye health plays within global health and international development strategies.

The UK is committed to tackling global health challenges and considers eye health within this wider agenda. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is transforming its approach to global health by moving from direct service delivery to supporting countries with technical expertise and long-term system strengthening, including through our fully flexible funding to the World Health Organization. The new Global Health Community of Expertise will connect partners with UK and global knowledge, innovation and investment. This demand-led, partnership model is designed to help countries access the resources they need to address their own health challenges, including on eye health.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether responsibility for monitoring potential breaches of international humanitarian law relating to Gaza has been reassigned within her Department following the closure of the international humanitarian law cell.

The Media reports that the Honourable Member refers to are misleading. The International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Cell has moved, not closed. As part of an internal restructure, the Cell and its functions continue to operate from within a different team in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The work of the FCDO assessing IHL risks arising from the conflict in Gaza is not being discontinued. The FCDO continues to draw on a range of sources and expertise to inform its assessments and approach to IHL issues, and we also continue to retain access to all FCDO-funded research previously carried out into alleged IHL violations.We are in the process of reforming the FCDO to build a more capable, agile and resilient organisation that can respond quickly to changing challenges and crises, and operate effectively within the financial constraints that we are operating under in this spending review period. This process inevitably involves the restructuring of teams across the FCDO to deliver our objectives in a more streamlined and better-integrated way. It is important that Honourable Members do not mistake any changes of structure and nomenclature for changes in the priority that we attach to different issues and responsibilities, especially in areas as critical as this.IHL assessments support UK export licensing decisions. On the delivery and oversight of UK funded humanitarian assistance in Gaza, we continue to call for urgent action to open all the crossings, lift restrictions and flood Gaza with aid.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether an equality, legal, or risk impact assessment was carried out ahead of the closure of the FCDO unit responsible for monitoring potential breaches of international humanitarian law.

The Media reports that the Honourable Member refers to are misleading. The International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Cell has moved, not closed. As part of an internal restructure, the Cell and its functions continue to operate from within a different team in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The work of the FCDO assessing IHL risks arising from the conflict in Gaza is not being discontinued. The FCDO continues to draw on a range of sources and expertise to inform its assessments and approach to IHL issues, and we also continue to retain access to all FCDO-funded research previously carried out into alleged IHL violations.We are in the process of reforming the FCDO to build a more capable, agile and resilient organisation that can respond quickly to changing challenges and crises, and operate effectively within the financial constraints that we are operating under in this spending review period. This process inevitably involves the restructuring of teams across the FCDO to deliver our objectives in a more streamlined and better-integrated way. It is important that Honourable Members do not mistake any changes of structure and nomenclature for changes in the priority that we attach to different issues and responsibilities, especially in areas as critical as this.IHL assessments support UK export licensing decisions. On the delivery and oversight of UK funded humanitarian assistance in Gaza, we continue to call for urgent action to open all the crossings, lift restrictions and flood Gaza with aid.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much and what proportion of planned spend figures on DevTracker (a) have been committed to and (b) are subject to reprofiling or cancellation.

Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations by country for the next three years will be published no later than in the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) Annual Report & Accounts this summer.Teams across the FCDO and our country network are considering how best to prioritise their ODA allocations, including as part of portfolio strategies which will help deliver a more coordinated approach to our work in partner countries. We are therefore unable to provide details on individual programme decisions. Updates to UK ODA programmes are published on DevTracker on GOV.UK each month.We are reducing ODA gradually to the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income by 2027 to allow time for programming to be reprioritised in a way which is considered and deliberate. Setting three years of allocations from 2026/27 to 2028/29 provides the predictability our teams need to effectively manage reductions, including responsibly exiting programmes where necessary.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has estimated the potential effect of future reductions to the ODA budget on (a) existing and (b) pipeline programmes in (i) Kenya and (ii) Jamaica.

Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations by country for the next three years will be published no later than in the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) Annual Report & Accounts this summer.Teams across the FCDO and our country network are considering how best to prioritise their ODA allocations, including as part of portfolio strategies which will help deliver a more coordinated approach to our work in partner countries. We are therefore unable to provide details on individual programme decisions. Updates to UK ODA programmes are published on DevTracker on GOV.UK each month.We are reducing ODA gradually to the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income by 2027 to allow time for programming to be reprioritised in a way which is considered and deliberate. Setting three years of allocations from 2026/27 to 2028/29 provides the predictability our teams need to effectively manage reductions, including responsibly exiting programmes where necessary.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what guidance her Department has issued to country offices on responsible programme exits.

Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations by country for the next three years will be published no later than in the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) Annual Report & Accounts this summer.Teams across the FCDO and our country network are considering how best to prioritise their ODA allocations, including as part of portfolio strategies which will help deliver a more coordinated approach to our work in partner countries. We are therefore unable to provide details on individual programme decisions. Updates to UK ODA programmes are published on DevTracker on GOV.UK each month.We are reducing ODA gradually to the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income by 2027 to allow time for programming to be reprioritised in a way which is considered and deliberate. Setting three years of allocations from 2026/27 to 2028/29 provides the predictability our teams need to effectively manage reductions, including responsibly exiting programmes where necessary.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which bilateral programmes in a) Kenya and b) Jamaica are currently assessed as at risk of closure or early exit as a result of reductions in the aid budget as announced in February 2025.

Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations by country for the next three years will be published no later than in the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) Annual Report & Accounts this summer.Teams across the FCDO and our country network are considering how best to prioritise their ODA allocations, including as part of portfolio strategies which will help deliver a more coordinated approach to our work in partner countries. We are therefore unable to provide details on individual programme decisions. Updates to UK ODA programmes are published on DevTracker on GOV.UK each month.We are reducing ODA gradually to the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income by 2027 to allow time for programming to be reprioritised in a way which is considered and deliberate. Setting three years of allocations from 2026/27 to 2028/29 provides the predictability our teams need to effectively manage reductions, including responsibly exiting programmes where necessary.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what timetable her Department is working to for confirming country-level Official Development Assistance allocations for financial years (a) 2026-27, (b) 2027-28 and (c) 2028-29.

Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations by country for the next three years will be published no later than in the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) Annual Report & Accounts this summer.Teams across the FCDO and our country network are considering how best to prioritise their ODA allocations, including as part of portfolio strategies which will help deliver a more coordinated approach to our work in partner countries. We are therefore unable to provide details on individual programme decisions. Updates to UK ODA programmes are published on DevTracker on GOV.UK each month.We are reducing ODA gradually to the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income by 2027 to allow time for programming to be reprioritised in a way which is considered and deliberate. Setting three years of allocations from 2026/27 to 2028/29 provides the predictability our teams need to effectively manage reductions, including responsibly exiting programmes where necessary.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 26 January 2026 to PQ 106498, when she last raised the detention of Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq with her Egyptian counterpart; and what steps she is taking to advocate for his freedom of religion and belief.

The UK champions freedom of religion or belief for all and, where appropriate, will raise these issues with the Egyptian authorities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of abuse of young Christian women, raids on churches and allegations of bribery of pastors in Kazakhstan.

The UK is committed to standing up for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) globally. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. We will work to uphold the right to Freedom of Religious Belief through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora and in our bilateral work.Our Embassy in Astana works actively with local non-governmental organisations in Kazakhstan to support interfaith dialogue and engage authorities in constructive negotiations with religious groups. The Embassy has hosted four events in the last 12 months, bringing together representatives of a variety of majority and minority religious groups, alongside international organisations, and state bodies. The resulting recommendations are under review by government. The UK will continue to be a leading voice in support of Freedom of Religion and Belief in Kazakhstan.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce disability discrimination across the Commonwealth.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has funded disability inclusion activities in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (CDPF) since 2019, and provided around £2 million to support disabled people's organisations in the Commonwealth through the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) between 2021 and 2024. The FCDO, alongside the Disability Unit in the Office for Equal Opportunities, has been an active member of the Expert Working Group developing the Commonwealth Disability Inclusion Action Plan.We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years shortly, but in the interim, we will not speculate on the potential impact of hypothetical funding scenarios on different programmes and countries. The specific funding percentage requested by the Hon Member is not readily available, and could only be calculated and verified at disproportionate cost.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support disabled people across the Commonwealth.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has funded disability inclusion activities in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (CDPF) since 2019, and provided around £2 million to support disabled people's organisations in the Commonwealth through the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) between 2021 and 2024. The FCDO, alongside the Disability Unit in the Office for Equal Opportunities, has been an active member of the Expert Working Group developing the Commonwealth Disability Inclusion Action Plan.We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years shortly, but in the interim, we will not speculate on the potential impact of hypothetical funding scenarios on different programmes and countries. The specific funding percentage requested by the Hon Member is not readily available, and could only be calculated and verified at disproportionate cost.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of UK aid is allocated to support disabled people globally.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has funded disability inclusion activities in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (CDPF) since 2019, and provided around £2 million to support disabled people's organisations in the Commonwealth through the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) between 2021 and 2024. The FCDO, alongside the Disability Unit in the Office for Equal Opportunities, has been an active member of the Expert Working Group developing the Commonwealth Disability Inclusion Action Plan.We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years shortly, but in the interim, we will not speculate on the potential impact of hypothetical funding scenarios on different programmes and countries. The specific funding percentage requested by the Hon Member is not readily available, and could only be calculated and verified at disproportionate cost.