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30 March 2022 - Impact of merging of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development - Oral evidence

Committee International Relations and Defence Committee
Inquiry Impact of merging of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development

Wednesday 30 March 2022

Start times: 10:30am (private) 10:30am (public)


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Committee holds session with former FCO Permanent Under-Secretary of State and sector experts

The House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee will hear from witnesses on impact of the merger between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for International Development (DfID).

The Committee will ask questions exploring the consequences and challenges of the merger on issues such as budget allocation, policy priorities and relationships with international aid agencies, as well as evaluate the merger in the light of more recent developments such as the recent FCDO restructure and the challenges created by the war in Ukraine.

Meeting details

At 10:30am: Oral evidence
Work Impact of merging of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development (Non-inquiry session)
Chief Executive at Bond
Director of Policy and Advocacy at Bond
At 11:30am: Oral evidence
Work Impact of merging of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development (Non-inquiry session)
Permanent Under-Secretary (2015-20) at Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Director at Institute for Government

Possible questions:  

  • What is your overall impression of the success of the FCO-DfID merger to date? What are the main ongoing challenges? 
  • Does FCDO appear to have a different approach to the goals and delivery of overseas aid than DfID? Are there examples of where foreign and security policy appear to have taken precedence over development priorities since the merger?
  • Has the Government’s aim for a “cultural merger” been successful? Is development “at the heart” of the new development, or has it been sidelined?
  • What have been the budgetary consequences of the merger? In practice has it facilitated the transfer of funds from former DfID programmes to non-DfID activities, or are the budgets still ringfenced?
  • What has been the impact of the merger on delivery partnerships with aid agencies? How has the fact that aid agencies are now working with the main organ of the UK’s diplomatic service affected these relationships?
  • What is your view on the recently announced changes to the FCDO structure? What does it say about the success of the merger, and in your view will the restructure solve any challenges created by the merger?
  • What light has the war in Ukraine shed on the merging of foreign and development policy and the new department’s ability to handle crises?  

Location

Room 4A, Palace of Westminster

How to attend