My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Douglas Alexander) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

I have placed in the Libraries of both Houses a copy of DfID’s research strategy 2008-13.

This strategy sets out DfID’s priorities for spending up to £1 billion on research for development. It is DfID’s first five-year strategy for research, replacing the research funding framework 2005-07. The strategy is the product of extensive consultation with research providers and users in developing countries, in the UK and internationally, including other funders of development research.

The strategy describes why research for development is needed and DfID’s unique role in the global development research effort. It identifies four interdependent areas where DfID will ensure its research investment achieves results. In addition, it describes six thematic areas that DfID research will cover: growth; sustainable agriculture; climate change; health; governance in challenging environments and future challenges and opportunities (that is, anticipatory research). It describes in broad terms how funding for each of these areas is likely to evolve.

The document summarises the research management structures and funding mechanisms that DfID will use to implement the strategy, as well as the type of research partnerships DfID will build. Finally, it sets out 13 key areas where DfID will monitor and measure the outputs of its research and report on these publicly.