Written question asked by Wendy Morton (Conservative) on Thursday, 24 April 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 28 April 2025. It was answered by Stephen Doughty (Labour) on Friday, 2 May 2025 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Voluntary Service Overseas

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Voluntary Service Overseas ACTIVE programme in the 2025-26 financial year.

Answer

The Prime Minister has taken the decision to increase spending on defence to 2.5 per cent of GDP from 2027, funded by reducing Official Development Assistance (ODA).

The ODA budget will be gradually reduced to the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of GNI by 2027, to help smooth the transition.

This difficult choice reflects the evolving nature of the threats we face, and the strategic shifts required to meet them, while maintaining economic stability.

We are evaluating all ODA funding to ensure value for money for UK taxpayers and have to work harder than ever to make sure our development work delivers for the British public and our Plan for Change.

Our approach balances the UK's proud tradition of supporting the world's most vulnerable with our fundamental responsibility to protect British interests in an increasingly unstable world.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 47685
Session: 2024-26
Subjects: Voluntary Service Overseas
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk

Voluntary Service Overseas

Secondary information

Librarians' tools