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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 …

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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

2 items
8 Conclusion 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Rejected

Department lacks holistic view and overarching strategy for displacement solutions and prevention.

The Department lacks a holistic view of the drivers of and solutions to displacement, and therefore lacks an overarching strategy to establish solutions and prevention mechanisms. This means that UK impact in this area is constrained, reducing value for money of relevant spending and resulting in a wasted opportunity to …

Government response. The government rejects the committee's finding by detailing its existing strategic approach to forced displacement, which it describes as comprehensive, encompassing a wide range of interventions from reducing drivers to finding long-term solutions and supporting host communities.
14 Recommendation 6th report - The FCDO's Approach to Dis… Rejected

Reconsider cuts to women and girls-specific programming and consider ringfencing funding.

In the light of these impact assessments, the Government must reconsider the cuts to women and girls-specific programming announced by the Minister and should consider ringfencing funding for this programming. (Recommendation, Paragraph 80)

Government response. The government rejected the recommendation, stating that 2025/26 ODA programme allocations have already been made with protections for women and girls, and they will use diplomacy to maximise impact despite reduced spending, with future allocations under review for 2026/27-2028/29.

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 ↗