Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Fourth Report - The UK Small Island Developing States Strategy
International Development Committee
HC 476
Published 1 May 2024
Recommendations
2
Deferred
Provide a written update on progress in delivering the SIDS Strategy by September 2024.
Recommendation
The Government must honour the commitment it made to provide the Committee with a written update on progress in delivering the SIDS Strategy across the six areas of focus by 30 September 2024. Points that the report should cover are listed in Annex
Government Response Summary
The government states it paused drafting the requested progress report due to the general election, but will submit a report as part of a wider UK SIDS Strategy refresh exercise, reflecting the new government's priorities.
24
Deferred
Prioritise laying primary legislation for ratifying Global Ocean Treaty before next election.
Recommendation
The Government should prioritise the laying before Parliament of the primary legislation necessary for ratifying the Global Ocean Treaty before the next election. (Paragraph 75) Wider Climate Leadership
Government Response Summary
The government states the recommendation for ratification before the next election is 'no longer relevant/overtaken,' but reaffirms its commitment to ratifying the BBNJ Agreement and notes that work is ongoing on the necessary implementation measures.
Conclusions (1)
23
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 75
Given that the UK SIDS Strategy sets out “Ocean and Biodiversity” as an area of focus, it is concerning that the Government has ostensibly deprioritised the ratification of the Global Ocean Treaty by failing to designate the Parliamentary time necessary to pass the prerequisite legislation in this Parliament.
Government Response Summary
The government did not address the recommendation regarding the Global Ocean Treaty, instead committing to ensuring 80% of bilateral aid programmes with SIDS focus on gender by 2030, supporting SIDS in collecting gender-disaggregated data, and making gender equality an explicit investment criterion for the Blue Planet Fund.