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

8 items
1 Conclusion 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Not Addressed

UK ODA cuts indicate stepping back from addressing global displacement crisis.

There is a global displacement crisis. The UK cannot solve it alone, and nor should it be expected to. However, significant cuts to UK ODA and development programming indicate a United Kingdom that is stepping back from the world stage at a time when engagement and collaboration are most needed. …

Government response. The government outlines its comprehensive approach to displacement and notes its collaboration with international partners. However, it then reiterates the committee's conclusion verbatim without providing a direct response to the concern about significant cuts to UK ODA indicating the UK …
3 Conclusion 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Not Addressed

Department failed to learn from cuts to peacebuilding programming, risking escalating conflict.

The Department has failed to learn the lessons from previous cuts to stabilisation, peacebuilding and deconfliction programming, which likely contributed to the escalation of conflict in Sudan going unchallenged. We are concerned that the recent cuts to the Integrated Security Fund will lead to escalating conflict, with unpredictable ramifications for …

Government response. The government justifies the decision to reduce the ODA budget to 0.3% of GNI, stating plans to return to 0.7% when fiscal circumstances allow, but does not address the committee's concern about a failure to learn lessons from previous cuts …
4 Conclusion 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Not Addressed

Better integrate climate threat modelling into displacement work planning.

Climate change is a current and growing driver of displacement, and the Department must better integrate the modelling of climate threats into its planning for its displacement work. (Conclusion, Paragraph 48)

Government response. The government response addresses issues related to peacebuilding in Sudan and the Integrated Security Fund, rejecting claims about funding cuts impacting conflict escalation, but it does not engage with the recommendation to integrate climate threat modelling into displacement planning.
9 Recommendation 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Not Addressed

Commission a holistic review of displacement drivers and solutions, reporting findings within one year.

The FCDO should commission a holistic review of the drivers of and solutions to displacement, reporting its findings to the Committee within one year of the publication of this report. (Recommendation, Paragraph 59)

Government response. The government response details consideration of equalities impacts in ODA allocations and efforts to mitigate negative effects on women and girls, but it does not address the recommendation to commission a holistic review of displacement drivers and solutions.
10 Conclusion 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Not Addressed

Appoint a new Special Envoy for Displacement to oversee policy teams and facilitate coordination.

The Department should appoint a new Special Envoy for Displacement who can oversee the discrete policy teams that work on mitigating the drivers of displacement, facilitating policy co-ordination between teams and ensuring consistency of outputs. (Recommendation, Paragraph 60) Displaced women and girls

Government response. The government response outlines steps to strengthen gender and equality integration across the Department's work and its approach to mainstreaming, but it does not address the recommendation to appoint a Special Envoy for Displacement.
11 Conclusion 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Not Addressed

Funding cuts to gender-specific programming devastate women and girls, denying vital support.

Funding cuts to gender-specific programming will be devastating for women and girls, starving them of vital support and services. The Government has not learned lessons from the previous Government about the severe impacts of funding cuts to programming for women and girls. (Conclusion, Paragraph 77)

Government response. The government response highlights British International Investment's role in strengthening the private sector in fragile and conflict-affected states through economic resilience and job creation, but it does not address the committee's concerns regarding funding cuts to gender-specific programming.
12 Conclusion 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Not Addressed

Government lacks infrastructure for effective gender mainstreaming, reducing UK programming impact.

The policy of gender mainstreaming refers to a strategic approach to achieving gender equality through integrating women’s experiences and concerns in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes. However, while gender mainstreaming is part of the correct goal, the Government does not have the appropriate infrastructure in …

Government response. The government response details efforts to direct humanitarian funding to local organisations and improve displacement data, completely failing to address the committee's concerns about gender mainstreaming infrastructure or the impacts of aid cuts on women and girls.
13 Recommendation 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Not Addressed

Publish impact assessments for gender-specific programming cuts, no later than report response.

It is astonishing that the Government has made cuts to gender-specific programming without seemingly understanding the impacts on women and girls. The Government must publish impact assessments, as promised by the Minister, as soon as possible and no later than the response to this report. (Recommendation, Paragraph 79) 35

Government response. The government's response outlines efforts to improve data collection and disaggregation for various humanitarian projects, but it does not address the recommendation to publish impact assessments for cuts to gender-specific programming.

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 ↗