Dr Julian Lewis:  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the written statement of 26 February 2020, HCWS126, on Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, whether interested (a) groups and (b) individuals may make submissions to that review; what the (i) format, (ii) word limit and (iii) deadline for those submissions should be; and when that review will be completed.  [21869]

[Due for Answer on 5 May]

ANSWER

The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa (James Cleverly): The review will engage with a range of stakeholders here and abroad to ensure proper consultation and challenge. The Government will utilise expertise from both inside and outside government for the review, ensuring the UK's best minds are feeding into its conclusions and challenging traditional Whitehall assumptions and thinking as needed. The consultation process will include a variety of methods both formal and informal including meetings, roundtables, workshops and focus groups. The review will be closely aligned to the Comprehensive Spending Review and an announcement of the timings will be made in due course.