Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to remove (a) help and (b) assistance from (i) internal and (ii) external communications and guidance with respect to UK Official Development Assistance.

The Foreign Secretary has put partnerships, not paternalism, at the centre of the UK's development relationships. I have been leading the focus on modern, mutually beneficial bilateral partnerships. This new model has been clearly communicated to FCDO officials. Partnership does not mean telling others we have the answers; the UK can act as a champion, seeking to bridge the gap between the Global North and Global South. As FCDO officials implement this modern approach to development, they will be treating other countries as equals, as part of resetting the UK's relationship with the Global South.