Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee

Recommendation 13

13

Excessive in-donor refugee spend, especially hotel costs, contravenes ODA's development spirit.

Conclusion
Whilst the Committee recognises that in-donor refugee spend is allowable under DAC rules, in a world of rapidly decreasing aid budgets it is not in the spirit of what ODA should be used for, which per the OECD is spending that promotes and specifically targets the economic development and welfare of developing countries. Excessive spend on hotel costs is not an effective use of development budgets. (Conclusion, Paragraph 46)
Government Response

A response document is linked to this report, dated 11 February 2026. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document ↗