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Written question asked by Helen Hayes (Labour) on Thursday, 13 May 2021, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 17 May 2021. It was answered by Wendy Morton (Conservative) on Wednesday, 19 May 2021 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

UN Population Fund

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of the UK's withdrawal of funding to the United Nations Population Fund on (a) maternal and infant mortality rates and (b) reproductive health worldwide.

Answer

The seismic impact of the pandemic on the UK economy has forced us to make tough but necessary decisions, including temporarily reducing the amount we spend on foreign aid.

The UK's aid budget has been allocated in accordance with our key strategic priorities and after a cross-government review of how we spend ODA. The Foreign Secretary has agreed he will focus our investment and expertise where the UK can make the most difference and achieve maximum impact. We are now working with partners to help them assess and manage the impact of UK funding reductions on individual programmes and we will share further details on this in due course. In the meantime, let me reassure you that the UK remains a proud partner to UNFPA and a global champion of sexual and reproductive health and rights.

We will maintain a broad range of sexual and reproductive health and rights programmes including in family planning. We will do this through programmes such as the Global Financing Facility, Reproductive Health Supplies and our support to FP2030.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
1140
Session
2021-22
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Finance Infant mortality UN Population Fund Maternal mortality Sexual and reproductive health
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk