Written question asked by Wendy Morton (Conservative) on Monday, 18 May 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 20 May 2026. It was answered by Chris Elmore (Labour) on Thursday, 28 May 2026 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Development Aid

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), what explains the reduction in allocations to (a) South Asia and Afghanistan and (b) Asia Pacific over the spending period.

Answer: The Government has taken the decision to reduce Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income by 2027 to fund an essential increase in defence spending. The reduced ODA programme allocations over the spending period reduce the risk of 'cliff-edge' reductions in funding to the regions in question, while also reflecting the strategic decision to increase the share of ODA the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) spends through multilateral organisations. We will publish country by country allocations no later than the publication of the FCDO's 2025/26 Annual Report & Accounts in July.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 1982
Session: 2026-27
Related items: Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme allocations 2026/27 – 2028/29
Thursday, 19 March 2026
Written statements
House of Commons
Subjects: Development aid South Asia Afghanistan
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk