Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Integrated Review of Policy

Tuesday 8 September 2020 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The integrated review was launched in February 2020 and was paused due to covid before recommencing in June.
  • The Government introduced Magnitsky sanctions to target perpetrators of human rights abuses.
  • The review is engaging with think-tanks and parliamentary committees for comprehensive evaluation.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Tobias Ellwood Con
Foreign Affairs
Context

The question arises from the need for transparency and public engagement in defining Britain's global role. The review was paused due to the pandemic but has been resumed.

Question

What progress the Government has made on the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.

Answer from Dominic Raab

The integrated review was formally launched in February 2020. It was paused because of covid and then recommenced in June. We expect it to conclude in the autumn. Ministers have met regularly. I have chaired those meetings on key themes from trade to security.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Angela Crawley SNP
Foreign Affairs
Context

The question pertains to the specific steps taken by the government in establishing an atrocity prevention strategy as part of the integrated review.

Question

On the integrated review of security, defence, development and foreign policy, I would like to understand what specific steps the Secretary of State is taking to establish an atrocity prevention strategy to avert further identity-based violence worldwide.

Answer from Dominic Raab

I entirely agree with the hon. Lady's passion and commitment on the subject. Of course, we have already introduced Magnitsky sanctions, which allow us to target the perpetrators of human rights abuses with visa bans and asset freezes. More generally, in the context of the integrated review, one of the powerful themes is the United Kingdom's role in the world being joined up, which is why we have brought DFID and the Foreign Office together, in solving disputes, managing conflict and holding the worst perpetrators of human rights abuses to account.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific steps towards an atrocity prevention strategy were not explicitly outlined

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q3 Tobias Ellwood Con
Democracy & Elections Foreign Affairs
Context

The question addresses the need for public transparency and engagement during the integrated review process to define Britain's global role and strategy.

Question

I strongly believe that the Government must be more transparent and engage with the British people as we attempt to define our place in the world and how ambitious we want to be. Let us follow the example of the confederation papers, which through consensus helped unify what the US originally stood for. Will the Foreign Secretary please publicise the threat assessment of how the world is changing and the strategic options in response that reflect the degrees of global ambition and the scale of influence we might pursue? Only then can we design the appropriate defence posture.

Answer from Dominic Raab

I thank my right hon. Friend. I share his commitment to making Britain an even stronger force for good in the world. We have engaged far and wide. We are engaged with the Foreign Affairs Committee's inquiry on the integrated review. We are engaged with think-tanks, from the Royal United Services Institute to the Overseas Development Institute. In the other place, Baroness Sugg is chairing regular meetings with representatives of civil society, led by Bond and including Save the Children and Plan International.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Publication of threat assessment and strategic options was not directly addressed

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q4 Sarah Champion Lab Rotherham
Foreign Affairs
Context

The question critiques the short period allocated for call for evidence in relation to the comprehensive nature of the integrated review post-covid.

Question

The integrated review was unpaused in late June. It is supposed to be the most comprehensive evidence-driven evaluation of foreign policy since the cold war, so why did the call for evidence go out only in mid-August for 20 working days, and why are the sustainable development goals absent from the scope of the review? Should we assume that the outcomes are a foregone conclusion?

Answer from Dominic Raab

I thank the hon. Lady. She should not assume any foregone conclusion. It is precisely because the consultation is open that we have not stipulated any particular thing with the level of specificity she has asked for. I have explained to the House the breadth of consultation.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Short timeframe and SDGs inclusion were not directly addressed

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)