6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Displaced People

The government outlines its comprehensive approach to displacement and notes its collaboration with international partners. However, it then reiterates the committee's conclusion verbatim without providing a direct response to the concern about significant cuts to UK ODA indicating the UK is stepping back from the world stage.

The government states it is actively engaging internationally to strengthen the response to forced displacement and continues humanitarian interventions, prioritising development, but does not specifically address the observed declining share of ODA for poverty reduction.

The government justifies the decision to reduce the ODA budget to 0.3% of GNI, stating plans to return to 0.7% when fiscal circumstances allow, but does not address the committee's concern about a failure to learn lessons from previous cuts or the impact on conflict escalation.

The government response addresses issues related to peacebuilding in Sudan and the Integrated Security Fund, rejecting claims about funding cuts impacting conflict escalation, but it does not engage with the recommendation to integrate climate threat modelling into displacement planning.

The government details its use of climate science from IPCC, Met Office, and a new Natural Hazard Science Hub to inform policy teams on climate adaptation investments. However, it states that preventing climate-induced displacement is not a mandatory criterion for all teams planning these investments.

The government acknowledges the importance of influencing multilateral institutions, confirming its strategy to prioritise multilateral partners in the ODA budget and continue driving reform to maximise impact and effectiveness, particularly with the World Bank.

The government explicitly states it does not assume it can outsource the need to formulate its own strategy on preventing and reducing displacement, affirming it has developed a cross-cutting strategic approach to address forced displacement.

The government rejects the committee's finding by detailing its existing strategic approach to forced displacement, which it describes as comprehensive, encompassing a wide range of interventions from reducing drivers to finding long-term solutions and supporting host communities.

The government response details consideration of equalities impacts in ODA allocations and efforts to mitigate negative effects on women and girls, but it does not address the recommendation to commission a holistic review of displacement drivers and solutions.

The government response outlines steps to strengthen gender and equality integration across the Department's work and its approach to mainstreaming, but it does not address the recommendation to appoint a Special Envoy for Displacement.

The government response highlights British International Investment's role in strengthening the private sector in fragile and conflict-affected states through economic resilience and job creation, but it does not address the committee's concerns regarding funding cuts to gender-specific programming.

The government response details efforts to direct humanitarian funding to local organisations and improve displacement data, completely failing to address the committee's concerns about gender mainstreaming infrastructure or the impacts of aid cuts on women and girls.

The government's response outlines efforts to improve data collection and disaggregation for various humanitarian projects, but it does not address the recommendation to publish impact assessments for cuts to gender-specific programming.

The government rejected the recommendation, stating that 2025/26 ODA programme allocations have already been made with protections for women and girls, and they will use diplomacy to maximise impact despite reduced spending, with future allocations under review for 2026/27-2028/29.

The government agrees to develop a robust, data-led strategy and methodology for mainstreaming and integration, stating it is currently refreshing its approach to strengthen gender and equalities issues across its work.

The government recognises the importance of strengthening the private sector in fragile and conflict-affected states and welcomes the committee's recognition of British International Investment's strong track record in these contexts, affirming its role in mitigating displacement drivers.

The government agrees to work closely with British International Investment ahead of its 2026 strategy refresh, committing to explore a wide range of priorities including how BII's ambitions in fragile markets can further mitigate displacement drivers.

The government details existing efforts to direct humanitarian funding to local organisations, engage with UNHCR, and advocate for increased funding to local actors through pooled funds.

The government agrees to the recommendation and states it will review its position on the multi-stakeholder pledge on advancing localisation in displacement and statelessness responses.

The government agrees, detailing how it is making progress by leading global donor efforts to transform humanitarian funding, increasing contributions to pooled funds for local organizations, and integrating local leadership into FCDO partnerships through initiatives like the Sahel Regional Fund and support for the Start Network.

The government acknowledges the importance of improving displacement-related data and lists various ongoing projects and pledges, including contributions to the UN's CRAF'd and EGRISS, and ONS efforts, to enhance data collection and statistical inclusion.

The government states it already systematically tracks and reports data on spending for refugees and IDPs to the OECD, which is then published online.

The government states it already disaggregates data by age, gender, and ability. It will explore implementing disaggregation by displacement status in a future programme management system.