Merger of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development

That this House notes the vital contribution the Department for International Development (DfID) has made to eradicating global poverty, combatting the climate crisis and addressing gender inequality; expresses concern at the proposed merger of DfID with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the way in which the announcement was made amid a global pandemic; calls upon the Government to ringfence the full budget for international development; further calls on the Government to guarantee a robust scrutiny framework for UK Aid in which Parliament plays a key role; urges the new Department to maintain the proportion of aid spent in developing countries and to operate on the principle of need rather than national self-interest; and further urges the new Department to prioritise investment in healthcare, nutrition and education systems and to make specific commitments on gender equality and poverty alleviation.