I’d like to start by thanking Kelly Clements and António Vitorino for their briefings. And as we have heard today, the people of Ukraine continue to bear the terrible costs of Russia’s invasion, and as Russia begins a new offensive on the Donbas, millions of Ukrainians face further suffering.

Our consideration of the humanitarian situation in Ukraine must be guided by two overarching principles: protection of civilians and prosecution of war crimes.

After 55 days of war, 7.1 million people are displaced within Ukraine, and 4.7 million people have fled to neighbouring countries.

And like others, I pay tribute to the compassion and solidarity of neighbouring countries who are hosting refugees, and the work of the UN – in particular the UNHCR and the IOM for their initiatives – and in particular the Blue Dot Initiative, to protect unaccompanied women and children who may face sexual exploitation, abuse and suffering.

Many Ukrainians, including children, have been forcibly deported, against their will, to Russia – they should be allowed to leave in safety and with dignity.

For the thousands of civilians remaining in Mariupol, Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk and other cities, struggling to survive without food, water, warmth and medical supplies, the UK joins others in supporting the Secretary-General’s call for an urgent humanitarian pause to allow assistance to reach civilians in the hardest-hit areas.

And to this end, the UK has pledged almost £400 million in aid to Ukraine, and is a leading humanitarian donor, providing £220 million of humanitarian assistance to deliver life-saving assistance and support countries receiving and hosting refugees. We have also guaranteed $1 billion in World Bank lending to Ukraine.

Second, the prosecution of war crimes. For those who suffered in Bucha, Irpin, Borodyanka, Chernihiv, and many other towns, from Russian forces’ occupation and atrocities – let there be no doubt that justice will be sought for these crimes against humanity.

We welcome the International Criminal Court investigations, led by Karim Khan, which are underway.

As the Prosecutor said – Ukraine is now a crime scene.

The investigations of the appalling sexual violence in Ukraine will be informed by the Murad Code, which we launched here last week, and are a vital step towards supporting survivors and bringing perpetrators to justice.

For the sake of those we could not protect from violence, there must be prosecution of those who committed it.

Finally, we should not ignore the looming humanitarian needs caused by secondary displacements, as the economic consequences of this war translate into rising food, energy and finance costs, exposing more than 1.2 billion people in 69 countries to perfect storm conditions. The urgent and simple solution to this humanitarian crisis is for President Putin to stop the war.

Overview/Objectives

• The Combatting Illicit Economies Programme (“CIEP”) is a programme funded through the UK’s Conflict Stability and Security Fund. It partners with countries in Latin America to tackle threats including serious organised crime (from drugs to money laundering to environmental crime), grand corruption and instability/conflict. It is currently scheduled to operate until March 2025.

• The CIEP works with a series of State institutions across the region, particularly criminal justice and regulatory agencies. Programming supports development of new processes, protocols and – ultimately – capacity within these institutions to improve the regional response to organized crime and corruption.

• As a complement to programming, we are seeking to fund a think-tank or civil society organization (‘CSO’) that is headquartered in Latin America and has a track record of delivering in at least one of Colombia, Peru, Ecuador or Panama that is focused upon improving institutional responses to organized crime in the region of Latin America.

• The aim of this cooperation will be two-fold: firstly, to strengthen state responses in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and/or Panama to organized crime and corruption through enabling uptake of evidence-based policies, strengthening inter-institutional collaboration and building support for transformation initiatives; secondly, to build a sustainable, critical and regional capacity that will continue to engage with criminal justice and regulatory agencies beyond the project lifespan; and thirdly, provide expert advice to the CIEP as the programme itself designs, develops and delivers interventions across the region.

Project bids

The total project bid should not exceed GBP£600,000 over a three-year period.

We are open to considering different proposals as to how that funding might be split over the three-year period but would generally anticipate graduated funding (e.g. GBP£150,000 for year one, GBP£200,000 year two etc.) to allow for initial proof of concept and then building ambition through the project’s lifecycle, with an upper limit of GP£600,000.

Because of the nature of the CIEP’s funding, resource cannot be guaranteed beyond one-year windows within the three-year project life cycle. Break clauses will be included within the documentation governing the grant and a review of activity, impact and general grant compliance will take place at the end of each UK financial year and before funding, can be released for additional years.

Bidders will need to submit a proposal with the following requirements:

1. Propose methodology. Maximum of three pages describing the approach and operational methodology that will support the proposed delivery solution, providing evidence of the capacity, capability, experience and expertise of the organisation to deliver the proposed solution within the location(s) and context (including the thematic context) specified. Bidders should support their response with evidence from similar/relevant projects already delivered;

2. Curriculum vitae(s) of those proposed to work on the project (maximum of two pages per person);

3. FCDO Project Proposal Template that should include a detailed project plan that includes a clear project timeline and supporting detail; and

4. Activity Based Budged template, with a detailed breakdown of cost per activity proposed in the Project Proposal.

The project must have started all activity within four months of signing the grant agreement.

Official Development Assistance

All expenditures must qualify as Official Development Assistance (“ODA”). ODA is a term created by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to measure aid. ODA should be undertaken by the official sector (official agencies, including state and local governments, or their executive agencies) and has promotion of economic development and welfare as the main objective.

Selection Criteria

The successful bidding organisation will need to demonstrate the following characteristics:

1. Demonstrable experience in engaging with and influencing criminal justice and regulatory institutions in the region (and particularly in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and/or Panama);

2. A proven track-record in producing high-quality, action-oriented legal and/or policy analysis and research that has, in turn, influenced change in institutional processes or capacity in the region;

3. Headquarter in Latin America with a track record of working in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and/or Panama and with proven capacity to provide analysis, technical advice and support to institutions across Latin America in Spanish language.

4. A clear institutional vision setting out plans for sustainability beyond the three-year window that the CIEP might offer support and how this activity would build the capacity of your organisation to tackle organised crime and corruption over the long term. The vision will show how your organization plans to position itself as a key critical friend to institutions seeking to tackle organized corruption and corruption in Latin America over the long-term;

5. An understanding of the international donor architecture, and particularly that working on organised crime and anticorruption in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and/or Panama

6. A clear approach for embedding both gender and conflict-sensitivity into the organization’s work funded under this grant (see further below) and;

7. A proven-track record in efficiently and effectively managing international donor funding.

Scope and scale

The scope and scale of the personnel, resource and time required to complete this project can be set out within an implementer’s bid for activity.

The bid will ideally set out an ability to work and influence stakeholders in the four countries of Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Panama although bids will also be considered proposing activity in a smaller combination of those countries.

Deliverables

We are seeking an organisation that can deliver the following outcomes and provide details how your organisation will achieve them:

• Create broader international, political and public support for institutional transformation around approaches to organised crime and corruption including through identifying and engaging with key decision-makers and champions.

• Produce detailed analysis on deficiencies and areas of opportunities undermining the functions of criminal justice and regulatory systems – with particular target to illicit financial flows and related serious organized crime – across Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama and potential expansion to other similar countries.

• Build a network of contacts at the highest levels across key criminal justice and regulatory agencies of the countries involved in the project. While promoting collaboration and exchange of best practice between the criminal justice and regulatory agencies of the countries.

• Enable the uptake of evidence-based policies by those same criminal justice and regulatory agencies and leading to evidenced improvements in institutional performance.

• Lead on initiatives that will promote collaboration and exchange of best practice between the criminal justice and regulatory agencies of CIEP countries.

• Undertake broader influencing of key figures (politicians, civil society, and international donors) to promote reform.

• Provide strategic insight to developing programme project areas, including undertaking background analysis, providing strategic support to projects as they develop and using network of contacts to promote project aims (where they otherwise align with your organization’s analysis of required change)

In addition, we will ask the successful applicant to offer an expert advisory service to the CIEP team helping us develop project areas, including undertaking background analysis and providing strategic support to projects as they develop. This service should be included in the budget.

Products

Outputs and products are for the implementer to decide. We are interested in how your organisation will use these to deliver the above outcomes.

Monitoring: the CIEP operates an ‘outcome harvesting’ approach to monitoring and evaluating focused on capturing the significant changes that programme activity achieves through its lifecycle. The implementer will be expected to adopt this approach as well and it will be fully explored with the successful bidder upon grant award and with shared aims, objectives and methodologies to demonstrate impact being agreed at that stage.

Confidentiality

We anticipate the implementer may be an institution engaged in building awareness around the issues raised by this study.

In principle, the UK Government would not object to the products of this project being made public and, indeed, accept that part of the project’s proposal is to externally influence and raise awareness.

In so far as information may be gleaned from sensitive sources though and whilst working closely with the UK Government, the parameters of such public awareness raising will need to be discussed and agreed with the UK Government at the time of signing a contract/grant.

Private consultancy firms, consortia of multidisciplinary experts or non-profit organisations can participate in this call for bids.

How to bid: General Guidance on Project Proposals

• Stage 1: Potential implementers are invited to submit a full proposal (template attached) to CSSF.CIEP@fco.gov.uk by 15 May 2022, 11.59pm Bogotá time. We will not receive proposals after this deadline.

• Stage 2: The CIEP Programme team will evaluate all proposals and decide which should move forward to consideration by a technical committee of the programme board due to take place at the [date].

• Stage 3: The CIEP Programme team will seek to notify the successful bidder before the end of June 2022 and with a view towards activity starting as early as possible.

Duty of Care

The implementer is responsible for the safety and well-being of their personnel and third parties affected by their activities under this grant agreement, including appropriate security arrangements. They will also be responsible for the provision of suitable security arrangements for their domestic and business property.

HMG will share available information with the implementer on security status and developments in country where appropriate.

The implementer is responsible for ensuring appropriate safety and security briefings for all of their personnel working under this contract and ensuring that their personnel register and receive briefing as outlined above.

Travel advice is also available on the FCDO website and the implementer must ensure they (and their personnel) are up to date with the latest position.

Tenderers must develop their tender response on the basis of being fully responsible for Duty of care in line with the details provided above. They must confirm in their tender that:

1. They fully accept responsibility for security and duty of care;

2. They understand the potential risks and have the knowledge and experience to develop an effective risk plan; and

3. They have the capability to manage their duty of care responsibilities throughout the life of the contract.

Acceptance of responsibility must be supported with evidence of capability. In providing evidence, Tenderers should consider the following questions:

1. Have you completed an initial assessment of potential risks that demonstrates your knowledge and understanding, and are you satisfied that you understand the risk management implications (not solely relying on information provided by FCDO)?

2. Have you prepared an outline plan that you consider appropriate to manage these risks at this stage (or will you do so if you are awarded the contract) and are you confident/comfortable that you can implement this effectively?

3. Have you an appropriate mechanism in place to monitor risk on a live/on-going basis (or will you put one in place if you are awarded the contract)?

4. Have you ensured or will you ensure that your staff are provided with, and have access to, suitable equipment and will you ensure that this is reviewed and provided on an on-going basis?

5. Have you appropriate systems in place to manage an emergency/incident if one arises?

Gender sensitivity

The FCDO views gender equality and women’s rights as central to promoting peace and stability overseas. This project will take into account any gender-related differences where data is available; consider its contribution to reducing inequality between persons of different gender; and ensure that the project does no harm to any particular gender group.

As such, gender must be fully integrated across all aspects of the intervention. The project design must be underpinned by a gender analysis that is monitored and updated regularly, and that demonstrably shapes the project’s design and implementation, with concrete commitments and action demonstrating the project is suitably privileging gender.

The work plan and project monitoring mechanism must set out how the implementer proposes to adopt a gender-sensitive approach that demonstrates compliance with UK Equality Act 2010. The implementer is expected to mainstream gender in all activities of the project by integrating a gender equality perspective that takes into account the needs of all beneficiaries, men, women and LGBTQ+ people.

Conflict sensitivity

The FCDO requires implementers to take a robust approach to conflict sensitivity. This includes going beyond ‘do no harm’ principles to include maximising opportunities for positive effect on peacebuilding and conflict dynamics, such as improved community relations, enhanced mediation, and good governance

The FCDO also expects implementers to demonstrate an understanding of how the project might affect/is affected by extremist groups and can contribute to addressing drivers and enablers of violent extremism. This requires a well elaborated conflict sensitivity plan, including how conflict sensitivity will be brought into design (including processes, baseline analysis), implementation, monitoring, evaluation and lessons learning, and conflict sensitive communications. It requires the Implementer to have the required team capacities, and an approach to building the capacity of beneficiaries and other stakeholders on conflict sensitivity.

Review the Call for bids: The Latin American Regional Investigative Journalism Project if interested.

Introduction

I will make a statement on the British Energy Security Strategy.

Our strategy, Mr Deputy Speaker, provides a clear, long-term plan to accelerate our transition away from expensive fossil fuel prices set by global markets we cannot control.

It builds on our success over the past decade, in which we gave the go ahead to the first nuclear power plant in a generation and we have achieved, Mr Deputy Speaker, a fivefold increase in renewables.

The British Energy Security Strategy marks a significant acceleration in our ambition. It is confirmation of three mutually reinforcing goals of our energy policy – indeed of any well-constituted energy policy. Security. Affordability. Sustainability.

Cost of living

Mr Deputy Speaker, we recognise the pressures that many people across our country are facing with the cost of living, which has been greatly influenced, as we all know, by global factors.

That is why my right honorable friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has announced a £9bn package of support, including a £150 council tax rebate this month, and a £200 energy bill discount in October to cut energy bills quickly for the vast majority of households.

We are also expanding the eligibility for the Warm Home Discount, which will provide around 3 million low-income and vulnerable households across England and Wales with an £150 rebate this winter.

And of course, as I speak and as is ongoing, our Energy Price Cap is still protecting millions of consumers from even higher wholesale spot gas prices.

Furthermore, we are investing over £6bn in decarbonising the nation’s homes and buildings – and this was set out very clearly in last year’s Heat and Buildings Strategy. This saves the lowest income families around £300 a year on their bills.

I want to reassure the House that the Chancellor has promised to review his package of support before October and will decide on an appropriate course of action at that time.

Renewables

Mr Deputy Speaker, cheap renewables are our best defence against fluctuations in global gas prices.

By 2030, 95% of our electricity will be produced by low-carbon means. By 2035 we aim to have fully decarbonised our electricity system.

So, we will double-down on every available technology.

The Strategy sets out a new ambition to propel our offshore wind industry. It will increase the pace of deployment to deliver 50GW by 2030 instead of the 40 committed to in the manifesto. And of that 50GW, up to 5GW will be floating offshore wind.

The Strategy also commits us to slashing approval times for new offshore wind farms from four years to one year.

And we also feel, Mr Deputy Speaker, and this is reflected in the Strategy, that our solar capacity can grow by up to five times by 2035.

Nuclear

Mr Deputy Speaker, most of Britain’s nuclear fleet, as is well known, will be decommissioned this decade.

We need to replace what we’re losing but we also need to go further. From large-scale plants to small nuclear modular reactors, we wish and we aspire to provide a steady baseload of power that will complement renewable technology.

That is why we will be reversing decades of under-investment and we will be building back British nuclear.

We aim to deliver up to 24GW of nuclear power by 2050 – approximately three times more than today. This represents 25% of our projected energy demand.

Hydrogen and oil and gas

We are also, Mr Deputy Speaker, doubling our ambition for low-carbon hydrogen production. The capacity we aim to reach by 2030 is 10GW, with at least half of this total coming from green hydrogen – electrolytic produced hydrogen.

This fuel will not only provide cleaner energy for vital British industries to move away from fossil fuels, but will also be used for storage, for trains, for heavy equipment, and for generating heat.

The transition to cheap, clean power cannot happen overnight. Those calling for an immediate end to domestic oil and gas ignore the fact that this would simply make the UK more reliant on foreign imports – it would not, in fact, lead to greater decarbonisation globally.

Conclusion

Mr Deputy Speaker, producing more of our own energy will protect us into the future and we feel that this historic change, this decarbonisation challenge, represents a huge opportunity for the United Kingdom.

More wind, more solar, more nuclear – while also using North Sea gas to transition to cheaper and cleaner power.

This is a long-term plan to ensure greater energy independence, and to attract hundreds of billions of private investment to back the new industries that can create hundreds of thousands of high-quality jobs and stimulate business across the UK.

This isn’t only a matter of reaching net zero – vital as that is. It’s an issue of national security.

These are all objectives that everyone across the House I’m sure shares. We all wish to see a homegrown, clean energy system that will protect our people into the future.

That will create good, clean jobs, that will attract private investment, and above all, will drive down bills for British people.

And I commend this statement to the House.