Select Committee · International Development Committee

The FCDO's approach to displaced people

Status: Closed Opened: 9 Dec 2024 Closed: 17 Sep 2025 11 recommendations 12 conclusions 1 report

2024 saw a continuing rise in global displacement, with at least 117.3 million people forced to flee their homes, including nearly 43.4 million refugees, around 40% of whom are under the age of 18. These vast movements of peoples, and the associated costs and disruptions, can cause significant problems in host countries. Building on the …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Displaced People HC 525 17 Sep 2025 23 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

7 items
7 Recommendation 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Accepted

Formulate independent strategy for preventing and reducing displacement, not outsourcing to multilaterals.

Engagement with the World Bank’s fragility, conflict and violence strategy update is positive, but the Government should not assume that it can outsource to multilateral institutions the need to also formulate strategy on preventing and reducing displacement. (Conclusion, Paragraph 57)

Government response. 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.
15 Recommendation 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Accepted

Develop a robust strategy and data-led methodology for gender mainstreaming and integration.

The Government must develop a robust strategy and a consistent, data-led methodology for mainstreaming and integration, to ensure that its efforts to mainstream and integrate gender take place in tandem with stand-alone programming (Recommendation, Paragraph 81) Working with the private sector

Government response. 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.
17 Recommendation 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Accepted

Work with British International Investment to target investment at mitigating displacement drivers.

The FCDO should work alongside British International Investment ahead of its 2026 strategy refresh, including on how BII can place more emphasis on, and better target investment at, mitigating the drivers of displacement across fragile and conflict-affected states. (Recommendation, Paragraph 88) Localisation

Government response. 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.
18 Conclusion 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Accepted

Insufficient progress meeting localisation commitments in humanitarian programming.

Despite long-standing commitments, the Government is not making sufficient progress in meeting its commitments to localisation in humanitarian programming. The steps taken by the UNHCR on improving localisation in its partnerships should serve as a blueprint for how the Government can make progress in this regard. (Conclusion, Paragraph 96)

Government response. 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.
20 Recommendation 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Accepted

Set out plan to rapidly increase engagement with local actors in humanitarian settings

In response to this report, the Department must set out how it will make rapid progress in meeting commitments made, principally via the Grand Bargain and Global Compact on Refugees, to increase its engagement with and utilisation of local and national actors in humanitarian and development settings. (Recommendation, Paragraph 98) …

Government response. 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 …
21 Conclusion 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Accepted

FCDO's sub-optimal data collection limits accurate targeting of displacement spending

The FCDO may be limited in its ability to accurately target displacement- related humanitarian and development spending owing to its sub-optimal data collection. (Conclusion, Paragraph 102)

Government response. 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.
22 Recommendation 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Accepted

Start systematically tracking and publishing official data on spending for refugees overseas

To help determine a baseline and future targets, the FCDO should start systematically tracking and publishing official data on how much it spends on supporting refugees and internally displaced people overseas. (Recommendation, Paragraph 103)

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

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
3 Jun 2025 Matthew Wyatt · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Melinda Bohannon · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, The Rt Hon. the Baroness Chapman of Darlington · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office View ↗
29 Apr 2025 Achim Steiner · United Nations Development Programme, Arafat Jamal · UNHCR, Colin Buckley · British International Investment, Mónica Ferro · UNFPA View ↗
1 Apr 2025 Bethan Lewis · Plan International UK, Daphne Jayasinghe · International Rescue Committee, Dr Jessica Hagen-Zanker · ODI Global, Gideon Rabinowitz · Bond, Hélène Kuperman-Le-Bihan · Mines Advisory Group, Louis Hoffmann · International Organization for Migration View ↗
4 Mar 2025 Belinda, Fatimah, Katy Nembe Katonda · CAFOD, Tinebeb Berhane · ActionAid Ethiopia, Zohal View ↗