Thank you for contacting me about neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
I appreciate your concern for this issue and thank you for bringing the reception on 8 June to my attention, although I am unable to attend due to prior commitments.
You will no doubt be aware of the successes of the UK's past work to tackle NTDs worldwide, successes which the event to which you refer is right to celebrate. It is of course important for the UK to consolidate past success with action going forward.
To this end, I am encouraged that the UK's new international development strategy, published in May, reaffirmed global health as a key priority for UK official development assistance spend. Efforts to tackle NTDs will no doubt continue to benefit from this overarching focus, as I am sure the ministerial representative from the FCDO will set out in detail at the event.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.