As with any government change of this nature, the announcement came first to Parliament. The Government will continue its ongoing engagement with key stakeholders, including on issues relating to the merger. Plans on how we will do this with different partners will be shared in due course.

Following the announcement on 16 June of the Prime Minister's decision to merge the FCO and DFID work began immediately on creating the new department, which will be formally established in early September. The process of fully integrating DFID and FCO's operations in the UK and overseas will be developed and delivered through a phased transformation programme.

DFID Ghana is currently implementing an anti-corruption programme - Strengthening Action Against Corruption (STAAC). The programme engages with law enforcement agencies and policy makers to strengthen the Government of Ghana's capacity to detect, investigate and prosecute corruption, as well as supporting civil society to hold government to account. This programme supported a Parliamentary Act in Ghana that established the Office of the Special Prosecutor, which has independent powers to make inquiries into corruption and bribery, and has helped strengthen investigative systems in the Financial Intelligence Centre. It is also supporting Ghana to implement an effective action plan, after it was grey-listed by the Financial Action Task Force in October 2018, including drafting of a new Anti-Money Laundering Bill and development of a beneficial ownership register.

There is strong coordination among HMG departments on tackling corruption and Serious Organised Crime (SOC) in Ghana. Under the FCDO, a new successor programme will be designed to tackle corruption and organised crime, both of which remain top UK Government priorities. In particular, it will seek to establish UK-Ghana partnerships to tackle illicit financial flows and provide asset-tracing and recovery of the proceeds of crime. Under the FCDO, a refreshed anti-corruption strategy will also be developed.

There will be no compulsory redundancies for DFID employees as a result of the decision to create a new Department. Some roles may change due to business needs and any changes will be handled in compliance with relevant civil service policy and guidance or local labour law for staff appointed in country overseas.

The Portfolio Quality Index will continue to be calculated, however, is just one of the tools DFID used to assess the performance of programmes.

Achieving value for money has always been a core objective of all spend on Official Development Assistance. The Prime Minister was clear in his statement to the house on 16th June that delivering maximum value for the British taxpayer will continue to be a key objective of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

DFID’s evaluation approach is underpinned by the principles of transparency, rigour and independence, achieved with skilled analytical staff that have a deep and extensive evaluation experience.

Every DFID programme is subject to an annual review which looks at the performance of partners and DFID, including consideration of Value for Money. These reviews are published. Controls are in place to ensure that costs will be identified and recorded in line with Managing Public Money, including where necessary any write-offs or losses. The anticipated decline in GNI and hence ODA, the impact of covid-19, alongside all other key issues will be disclosed as necessary within the department’s 2020/21 Governance Statement.

We will continue to look at how money can be spent most effectively against our priorities, including through the Integrated Review, and the Spending Review – both of which will inform the priorities of the new Department.

Spending 0.7 per cent of our national income on aid is enshrined in law and we will continue to be guided by our responsibilities under the International Development Act, including a commitment to poverty reduction.

We will continue to look at how this money can be spent most effectively in our national interest, including through the Integrated Review – which will inform the priorities of the new Department. Development spending will remain central to the new department’s mission. Our commitment to spending 0.7 percent of our national income on aid is enshrined in law and we will continue to be guided by our responsibilities under the International Development Act, including a commitment to poverty reduction.

This Government is unashamed in believing that its job is to promote British influence around the world, to try to change the world for the better, and to get best value for the British taxpayer who spends so generously to help others. This change will help us do that.

Our reputation as a world leader on development issues comes from three things: our thought leadership; the scale and quality of UK development programmes; and excellence of our analysis, long term perspective and staff. None of these will change with the creation of the FCDO, but our development work will now be better aligned with foreign policy and the broad UK national interest. It should make our development work even more effective. DFID has been a more effective spender of aid than any other Government department – that expertise must be brought into the centre of the new department.

The work of UK Aid to reduce poverty will remain central to the new department’s mission and we will continue to be guided by our responsibilities under the International Development Act.

This Government is committed to spending 0.7% of GNI on Official Development Assistance which is enshrined in law. The future funding of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will be subject to the conclusions of the upcoming Integrated Review and the Spending Review.

Merging the Department for International Development (DFID) with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to form the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will bring together the best of what we do in aid and diplomacy. It will ensure that all of our national efforts including our aid budget and expertise are used to make the UK a force for good in the world. DFID is a long-term supporter of product development research through Product Development Partnerships to develop new diagnostics, drugs, vaccines and other health technologies for use in the developing world. This includes recent investments in a wide range of health research and development to tackle COVID-19

The UK’s role in the world will be defined by the Integrated Foreign Policy Review, expected to conclude later in the year. The objectives for the new department, including for research and development, will be informed by the findings of that review. The work of Official Development Assistance will remain central to the new department’s mission, and the budget of the new department will combine the FCO and DFID budgets.

All government departments are working through how their plans will need to change in light of the risk of a significant recession this year. DFID is no exception. The Government’s 0.7% GNI target is directly linked to the performance of the UK economy. No decision has been taken, but we are considering the full range of our work. In the short term, we have paused new financial arrangements while we agree our future work in close cooperation with other aid spending Departments.

DFID and FCO senior officials informed their respective Trade Union representatives as soon the creation of the new Department was announced. Consultations will continue throughout the process. Within DFID we have regular weekly engagement with our trade unions (FDA and PCS). These discussions have not yet involved the Secretary of State directly. We will formally consult as required on any specific areas of HR policy as work progresses.

This Government is committed to supporting a long-term movement for change on the neglected global issue of disability inclusion. The Government remains steadfast in its commitment to this agenda.

The Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy is expected to conclude later in the year, which will define the Government’s ambition for the UK’s role in the world and its outcomes will shape the objectives of the FCDO. Both the review and the merger are evidence of the Prime Minister’s commitment to a unified British foreign and development policy that will maximise our influence around the world, including on disability inclusion.

As part of the merger discussions, we will review, refresh and build on all existing strategies, including DFID’s Disability Inclusion Strategy.

Merging the departments will bring together the best of what we do in aid and diplomacy, and create new opportunities for staff. The ambition, vision and expertise of DFID and FCO staff will be at the heart of the new department – taking forward the work of UK aid, which will remain central to our mission.

We will continue to look at how our aid budget can be spent most effectively in our national interest, including through the Integrated Review – which will inform the priorities of the new Department.

The UK continues to report its aid spend in line with the international definitions of Official Development Assistance as set by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC). The core definition of ODA is spend that has the promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries as its main objective.

We will continue to look at how the UK’s aid can maximise the UK’s role as a force for good in the world, including through the Integrated Review. This will inform the priorities of the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.

As the Prime Minister said in the House, the work of UK aid to reduce poverty will remain central to the new department’s mission.

Our commitment to spending 0.7 percent of our national income on aid is enshrined in law and the UK continues to abide by the OECD DAC rules for aid. All UK official development assistance (ODA) must meet OECD DAC criteria, and have the promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries as its primary purpose. We will continue to look at how this money can be spent most effectively, taking into account our national interest, including through the Integrated Review – which will inform the priorities of the new Department.

UK and international NGOs play an invaluable role in our fight against poverty. We will continue to engage closely with them as we shape the new Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, which will unite our development expertise and first-class diplomatic service to make the UK a greater force for good in the world.

As the only G7 country to spend 0.7% of GNI on overseas development, the UK remains committed to environmentally sustainable development set out in the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals, agreed in 2015. We will continue also to report on our aid expenditure as required by the International Development Act 2006.

Climate change, environmental degradation and biodiversity loss all pose a threat to sustainability – with the poorest and most vulnerable most at risk. In September 2019 the Prime Minister committed to doubling the UK’s International Climate Finance over the next five years. The UK is prioritising protecting the environment and reversing biodiversity loss in line with the Government’s manifesto. Uniting development and diplomacy in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will provide an opportunity for the UK to have even greater impact in this area and on other development priorities.

The UK Government is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and to spending 0.7% of GNI towards this. This includes achieving the goal of universal health coverage, under SDG3, in particular ending the preventable deaths of mothers, new-born babies and children by 2030; and quality education for all, under SDG4, in particular universal primary education and greater opportunities for girls. Through our bilateral programmes and as the largest contributor to both the Global Partnership for Education and Education Cannot Wait, we are also proud to be a leading donor in support of basic education.