Recommendations & Conclusions
23 items
1
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
The effects of COVID-19, climate change and conflict are undermining decades of progress on eliminating extreme poverty. Extreme poverty drives conflict, displacement and migration. Eliminating extreme poverty is fundamental to everyone’s security and prosperity. (Paragraph 23) Effective interventions
Government response. The government agrees that COVID-19, climate change and conflict undermine progress towards eliminating extreme poverty and acknowledges that this goal is vital for security and prosperity.
2
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
We welcome the FCDO’s position papers on health systems strengthening for global health security and universal health coverage, and ending preventable deaths of mothers, babies and children by 2030. We recommend the Government builds on these, and the disability inclusion and rights strategy, and develops a coherent cross- departmental Global …
Government response. The government states that officials are working across government on global health via a HMG Strategic Framework. Ministers are considering options for communicating their shared cross-government strategic framework building on existing papers. They will continue to use multilateral and bilateral …
3
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Accepted
Poor health drives people into and traps them in extreme poverty. Withdrawing funding from programmes that fight AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases not only puts lives immediately at risk, but impacts wider objectives on education, gender equity and poverty reduction. While we were encouraged to see the UK …
Government response. The FCDO will redouble its efforts to ensure that all girls are supported to go to school and learn through the UK’s Girls’ Education Challenge (GEC) programme.
4
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Accepted
Nutrition is a keystone investment. It builds resilience in health, improves education outcomes and strengthens the economy through labour market participation. Moreover, investing in it represents very real value for money
Government response. The FCDO is already supporting education systems to deliver quality education for all children, focusing on foundational learning, reaching the most marginalised, and investing in teacher training.
5
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Accepted
The FCDO’s commitment to supporting women and girls, particularly through education, is welcome. However, reductions in aid have been shown to disproportionately affect women and girls. Girls’ education is often more vulnerable when families face hardship and particularly during conflict or crises such as COVID-19. Many of these girls will …
Government response. The FCDO established an on-demand expert advice facility (SPACE) and STAAR continues that support to governments and partners on strengthening social protection systems to help prevent and be able to respond to crises.
6
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Accepted
As well as continuing to use its expertise to train teachers, the FCDO should focus education spending on the most impactful programmes for poverty reduction, particularly early years and primary education. All programmes should be disability inclusive, recognising the additional barriers disabled children face when accessing education.
Government response. The government stated it supports education systems to deliver quality education for all children and has the greatest impact on poverty reduction through foundational learning and reaching the most marginalized. They cited statistics on spending on basic education and teacher …
7
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Accepted
The FCDO should continue to use its expertise and influence to champion social protection systems and universal health coverage. The COVID-19 pandemic showed the value of such systems, which are already urgently needed due to the effects of climate change and food insecurity and are likely to become even more …
Government response. The government affirmed its support for social protection systems and universal health coverage, citing their response to COVID-19 and ongoing support through facilities like SPACE and STAAR. They highlighted the UK's championing of UHC and work to strengthen health systems.
8
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
In summary, by weaving a tapestry of the most critical interventions, including cash, capacity-building and financial inclusion, graduation programmes have a transformative and long-term impact on the poorest households, which reap sustained economic and social benefits that far outweigh the cost of initial investment. This methodology originated from a DFID-funded …
Government response. The government is committed to the SDGs and the Leave No One Behind agenda through the International Development Strategy with a focus on women and girls and humanitarian prevention and response and mentions the FCDO's three-pronged approach.
9
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Accepted
Adapting to climate change and building resilience is vital for poverty reduction. Reducing the debt burden allows governments in low-and-middle-income countries to spend more on public health, education and social protection programmes. The UK Government must maintain its leadership on grant-based climate finance to help countries adapt to climate change …
Government response. The government highlighted its commitment to climate finance and adaptation, citing the Glasgow Climate Pact. They noted the UK's pledge of £11.6bn to support vulnerable populations and the tripling of adaptation funding. The UK's level of grant-based climate finance support …
10
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Accepted
Although low-income countries are often disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and can play a vital role in mitigation, they are mostly mitigating the emissions of other countries, including the UK. It is right that we invest in mitigation, in line with our own net-zero initiatives, but it …
Government response. The government stated that all UK aid, including ICF spend, is reported in line with international rules on what constitutes ODA as defined and governed by OECD Development Assistance Committee.
11
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
In the current global climate, the need to ‘put the last first’ is perhaps even greater than it was at the gavelling of the Sustainable Development Goals. The UK Government can help catalyse global action, reinstate UK leadership, and ensure coherence with domestic strategy, by creating a deliberate and dedicated …
Government response. The government stated its commitment to the SDGs and the Leave No One Behind agenda through the International Development Strategy, focusing on women and girls and humanitarian prevention and response. It outlined a three-pronged approach: understanding who is left behind …
12
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
We welcome the Government’s decision to appoint a Minister for Development who will attend Cabinet. We also welcome the response to our letter that the Government is still committed to the ‘Leave no one behind’ pledge, but we were disappointed by the lack of explicit mention of that pledge in …
Government response. The government reaffirmed its commitment to the 'Leave no one behind' pledge. It outlined how the UK will deliver on the SDGs, including SDG 1, through the International Development Strategy and its alignment to Agenda 2030’s ‘Five Ps’.
13
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
We recognise that the FCDO may not have automatically carried over DFID’s targets. As the proportion of extremely poor people living in fragile and conflict- affected states and regions continues to rise, however, this link must be recognised in targeting Official Development Assistance spending. The FCDO should recommit to DFID’s …
Government response. The government stated that Fragile and Conflict Affected States (FCAS) are central in the IDS. They outlined how they will draw on combined diplomatic, defence and development capabilities to prevent and reduce conflict. ODA allocations will be directed towards the …
14
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Accepted
The Government said in its response to our inquiry that it scaled back programmes in “countries and regions that are better positioned to bounce back from COVID-19”. It is not clear what the basis was for the reductions of allocations by more than half in, for example, Yemen, South Sudan …
Government response. The FCDO states it has allocated its ODA budget in line with the International Development Strategy and that all ODA spent by the UK is required to meet the ‘primary purpose’ test that the provision of the assistance is likely …
15
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
Cutting funding mid-programme and awarding short-term contracts may help the Government to stay within its 0.5% GNI target, but it risks undermining previous investments and undoing hard-won progress. The most effective programmes should be scaled up and allocated long-term funding. (Paragraph 80) Extreme poverty and the Sustainable Development Goals 55
Government response. The government stated that there are no quick fixes to development challenges. They invest in research and evidence, including through a 'best buys' approach and monitors the performance of its programmes. FCDO programmes tend to be multi-year in nature and …
16
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Accepted
Classifying all spending in low-and-middle-income countries as ODA may meet the letter of OECD rules, but it contravenes their spirit. Programmes that may contribute to foreign policy objectives, but that do not have a measurable effect on poverty, should not be classified as ODA spending.
Government response. The government stated that all UK ODA spending adheres to OECD DAC rules, promoting economic development and welfare in developing countries. The UK’s ODA spend is guided by the International Development Strategy, aligned to the SDGs and focused on poverty …
17
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
The UK Government must trust and fund what works. Policy and spend must be dedicated to interventions that deliver, at scale, to and with those most in need. Investing in long-term partnerships provides the key to long-term change. Should ODA levels stagnate, the requirement to ensure that assistance is well-spent …
Government response. The Government is committed to spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA as soon as the fiscal situation allows and is strengthening the governance of cross-government ODA.
18
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
Trade and investment are proven means of reducing poverty, but the Government cannot rely on “trickle-down development”. Policies based on trade and investment must include the world’s poorest people. As the Government increases ODA spending through development finance, it is vital that such spending targets the poorest and is not …
Government response. The FCDO is developing a Monitoring & Evaluation framework for the International Development Strategy and working to deliver its disability inclusion and rights strategy 2022–2030.
19
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Accepted
The FCDO must work with the Department for International Trade to ensure that trade policy is predicated on creating inclusive, sustainable growth and supporting economic diversification, particularly in countries facing food insecurity and/or climate threats.
Government response. The FCDO has made a public commitment to attain “Very Good” in the 2024 Aid Transparency Index and intends to update planned ODA allocations in due course.
20
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
Throughout this inquiry, we heard how budget reductions had affected programmes tackling poverty. The Government has stated that it knows what works in addressing extreme poverty, but it has not consistently demonstrated that insight in its funding decisions. We recommend: Ȥ The FCDO must ensure that its focus on trade …
Government response. The government reiterated its commitment to spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA when the fiscal situation allows and highlighted the International Development Strategy's focus on trade, humanitarian aid, girls' education, and health as part of poverty reduction efforts. They stated …
21
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Accepted
A lack of policy coherence can lead to counterproductive actions, such as cutting funding to groups and regions that have previously been identified as priorities. Creating strategies is important, but they cannot exist in silos or fail to consider other previously identified strategic objectives. Furthermore, without clear targets and actions, …
Government response. The government states that FCDO is required by HMT to publish Outcome Delivery Plans. It is developing a Monitoring & Evaluation framework for the International Development Strategy and working to deliver its disability inclusion and rights strategy 2022–2030. The FCDO …
22
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Accepted
The 2022 Aid Transparency Index noted the FCDO’s deterioration in transparency compared with DFID’s performance in 2020, in part due to “inconsistent publication of results, evaluations and objectives.” The FCDO failed to publish detailed budgets in its Annual Report and Accounts 2022, which meant that we were unable to scrutinise …
Government response. The FCDO commits to attaining "Very Good" in the 2024 Aid Transparency Index and intends to update planned ODA allocations in due course.
23
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Deferred
It has only been three years since the last Voluntary National Review. However, a great deal has changed in this time both domestically and internationally. To maintain its reputation as a global leader in development, the Government must commit to completing a Voluntary National Review of progress on the SDGs. …
Government response. The government has made no decision about conducting a follow-up to the 2019 Voluntary National Review (VNR) but will "explore options" to demonstrate their commitment to the SDGs throughout 2023, recognising the importance of Agenda 2030. They will step up …