Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 23
23
Accepted
Government's overreliance on innovation in aid strategy carries inherent risks
Conclusion
The Government’s aid strategy rightly emphasises research and innovation, leveraging FCDO’s distinctive ability to connect global expertise with local knowledge and fostering strong partnerships with the UK research community. However, overreliance on innovation carries risks that need to be acknowledged and mitigated. (Conclusion, Paragraph 75)
Government response summary AI-generated
The FCDO partially agrees, acknowledging the concerns about overreliance on innovation and committing to mitigate risks by balancing innovation with proven approaches, embedding local ownership, strengthening risk management, and investing in capacity-building. It outlines its existing R&D portfolio, but defers firm commitments on increasing investment beyond FY25/26.
Government Response
The government responded to this report on 22 January 2026. No passage in that response could be matched to this conclusion. Read the response document ↗