Select Committee · International Development Committee

Effectiveness of UK AID

Status: Closed Opened: 9 Mar 2020 Closed: 2 Oct 2020 12 recommendations 4 conclusions 2 reports

Interim and final Report's published The International Development Committee launched an inquiry into the role of UK aid and the work of the Department for International Development (DFID). The inquiry was aimed at the fundamentals of what UK aid is spent on and who spends it. During this inquiry, the Government merged the FCO and … Show more

Clear

Reports

2 reports
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth Report - Effectiveness of UK aid: potential impact o… HC 596 16 Jul 2020 16 Responded
Second Report - Effectiveness of UK aid: interim findings HC 215 9 Jun 2020 0

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
5 Conclusion Fourth Report - Effectiveness of UK aid… Accepted

UK aid spending amplifies the UK’s voice on the world stage, promoting our national interest...

UK aid spending amplifies the UK’s voice on the world stage, promoting our national interest by projecting our core values, and transforming the lives of people living in the very poorest countries. A potential shift of the UK’s ODA budget away from helping the very poorest people would be counterproductive … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government affirms its commitment to protecting the most vulnerable and poverty reduction, stating this is central to its work and reflected in current ODA priorities such as humanitarian crises and support for vulnerable countries.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
7 Recommendation Fourth Report - Effectiveness of UK aid… Accepted

The UK’s development legislation plays an intrinsic part in ensuring that aid is spent well...

The UK’s development legislation plays an intrinsic part in ensuring that aid is spent well and is focused upon poverty reduction. The very presence of this legislation demonstrates the UK’s role as a serious player in international development, and accordingly the Government should commit to maintaining the UK’s development legislation. Read more

Government response AI summary
The government confirms its commitment to poverty reduction and states it will undergo the necessary process to transfer responsibilities under the International Development Act to the new FCDO, maintaining the legislation and the 0.7% aid spending commitment.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
10 Recommendation Fourth Report - Effectiveness of UK aid… Accepted

In the face of pandemic-related budget cuts, difficult decisions will need to be made as...

In the face of pandemic-related budget cuts, difficult decisions will need to be made as to how savings can be made whilst protecting the overall effectiveness of aid spending. Given the grave challenges faced by developing countries in tackling COVID-19, disproportionately cutting long-term and locally led development programmes would hamper … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government commits to prioritising ODA spend for 2020 on key strategic objectives, including humanitarian crises and the COVID-19 response, and will continue to invest in multi-annual programmes and local leadership of projects.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
11 Recommendation Fourth Report - Effectiveness of UK aid… Accepted

To safeguard the effectiveness of UK aid interventions, the Government should set out how it...

To safeguard the effectiveness of UK aid interventions, the Government should set out how it intends to capture and retain DFID expertise in doing development well, and what plans are in place to rapidly train FCO staff in the skills necessary to manage effective and poverty reduction focused development programmes. Read more

Government response AI summary
The government details its plan to develop staff skills in the new FCDO by prioritising learning and development, embedding best practices from the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, integrating operating frameworks, and utilizing technical advisers and existing learning platforms to maintain high-quality programme management.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Oral evidence sessions

2 sessions
Date Witnesses
28 Apr 2020 Joelle Jenny · Cabinet Secretariat, Nick Dyer · Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Rt Hon James Cleverly View ↗
17 Mar 2020 Emma Mawdsley · University of Cambridge, Ian Mitchell · Centre for Global Development, James Rogers · Henry Jackson Society, Tamsyn Barton · Independent Commission for Aid Impact View ↗

Who gave evidence

8 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Emma Mawdsley · Vice-Principal, Fellow, Newham College University of Cambridge 1
Ian Mitchell · Co-Director, Europe and Senior Policy Fellow Centre for Global Development 1
James Rogers · Directory of the Society's Global Britain Program… Henry Jackson Society 1
Joelle Jenny · Director of Joint Funds Unit Cabinet Secretariat 1
Nick Dyer · Second Permanent Under-Secretary Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office 1
Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan 1
Rt Hon James Cleverly 1
Tamsyn Barton · Chief Commissioner Independent Commission for Aid Impact 1

Correspondence

10 letters
DateDirectionTitle
22 Sep 2020 Correspondence from the Foreign Secretary to the Chair, concerning the creation…
10 Jul 2020 Correspondence from the Deputy National Security Adviser, 10 Downing Street to …
10 Jul 2020 Correspondence to the Prime Minister from the Chair's of the Defence, Foreign A…
10 Jul 2020 Correspondence from the Deputy National Security Adviser to the International D…
2 Jul 2020 To cttee Correspondence following Chair's letter from the Secretary of State for Interna…
2 Jul 2020 Correspondence from the Secretary of State for International Development and Fo…
2 Jul 2020 Correspondence from the Chair to the Secretary of State for International Devel…
19 May 2020 Correspondence from the Director, Joint Funds Unit, relating to follow-up on th…
19 May 2020 Correspondence from the Secretary of State, relating to follow-up to the Effect…
26 Mar 2020 Correspondence from the Prime Minister, second reply, concerning the Integrated…