“This is not about the cash transfer, particularly at a time of cost of living crisis in much of the world, and certainly in the UK,” Lammy said.

“I think that’s not the debate people want to have. They want to think about the future.”

Speaking in Lagos, a Nigerian port city once central to the transatlantic slave trade, during his first visit to Africa as foreign secretary, Lammy said it was right that the UK had previously apologized for its role in the slavery.

He said: “When we look back on that period, there were many horrors. It was horrible and horrendous in many, many ways. And there are scars left, and let’s be clear: I am a descendant of enslaved people, so I recognize that.

“The last time we were in government, we asked for forgiveness and commemorated the abolition of the slave trade.”

Lammy acknowledged that Caribbean nations had developed a 10-point plan for restorative justice.

But he said he believed developing nations would benefit as part of that through things such as the transfer of technical skills and scientific expertise from the UK.

The Foreign Secretary’s comments on reparations follow discussion of the issue last month at CHOGM in Samoa.

The United Kingdom has faced growing calls from Commonwealth leaders to pay reparations for the country’s role in the slave trade.

Before the Samoa summit, Downing Street had said the issue should not be discussed, but Sir Keir Starmer later signed a document calling for talks on “restorative justice” alongside other Commonwealth leaders.