Speeches by Mathew.

“For many of the poorest in the developing world—I speak from some experience, having worked for a long time in Africa and elsewhere—what is happening with the climate is that the rainfall pattern is changing. For example, if you plant your crop, you might find that you then have a dry spell and you have to replant it, …”

“What are the transparency, governance and accountability risks of routing more climate finance through multilateral channels?”

“How should the Government be utilising their position to push for multilateral reform?”

“What specific risks has FCDO identified on the potential loss of capability and capacity that FCDO 2030 poses to the climate finance programming effectiveness and value for money?”

“Quite, but given that we are paying for some of that work, how do we exert greater influence on it to ensure that it is of a high standard?”

“How should the Government be utilising their position to push for multilateral reform?”

“What are the transparency, governance and accountability risks of routing more climate finance through multilateral channels?”

“Quite, but given that we are paying for some of that work, how do we exert greater influence on it to ensure that it is of a high standard?”

“Written evidence suggests that the 2023 climate finance strategy has not sufficiently provided direction on prioritisation decisions, criteria for resource allocation or programme selection across the portfolio. In what way does the latest iteration of the strategy address those past concerns?”

“Ian, what impact did the change in the accounting methodology used to calculate the UK’s climate finance spend have on the integrity of its commitments and confidence in the UK as a donor?”

“Written evidence suggests that the 2023 climate finance strategy has not sufficiently provided direction on prioritisation decisions, criteria for resource allocation or programme selection across the portfolio. In what way does the latest iteration of the strategy address those past concerns?”

“Trade with the UAE appears to have been the reason for the lack of robust action in the past to hold back the RSF, which murdered 60,000 in El Fasher last November. A softly, softly approach has clearly not worked, and now it is time for the UK, as UN penholder for Sudan, to find its moral compass and a backbone and st…”

“The best way, though, is to learn from where things have gone wrong, and clearly things have gone wrong in the past.”

“Before I get into that, I want to say that I am flabbergasted and appalled by what have been described as failures at the highest level of Government. The question in my mind is: do we not, as a Committee, have a role not only to name and shame, and I think we do, but to raise the next crisis that has been mentioned—wh…”

“How will you ensure that the Department will be able to deliver on your priorities in this area?”

“Okay, so that has been passed on to the Middle East Directorate. How many of these staff will be retained in the new arrangement, of those people who were in the international humanitarian law cell?”

“This really leads from the same question, but as you point out we have already heard today about external expertise. We have heard examples of where external expertise has not been listened to. How do you ensure adequate capacity and motivation of officials to analyse and present external advice?”

“The situation now is likely, as you say, to become worse because of the reduction and changes. As I am picking up, what is needed is courage, and courage at the highest level of Government, to call these things out. That has been missing, and I think our Committee needs to make that point.”

“Thank you. How are you ensuring that changes under FCDO 2030 will not have a negative impact on the delivery of your priorities for the UK’s atrocity prevention work?”

“Can I interrupt you, Minister, because I know there is limited time?”