To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues in the Treasury and the Department for International Development on alternative sources of funding for election observation in 2009-10. (261958)

The Government's ongoing discussions on conflict-related budgets for 2009-10, which include funding for election observation missions, have been between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Department for International Development and the Ministry of Defence. The Treasury has been consulted fully throughout. Final decisions have not yet been made in this process.

Election observation remains a priority for the FCO. We are reviewing internally spend for the next financial year.