Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 16
16
Rejected
FCDO's leadership position offers opportunity for consistent ODA value for money framework.
Conclusion
VfM approaches differ between Government departments, including in relation to ODA spend. The Minister’s announcement that the FCDO have been granted a greater leadership position in the way that ODA is spent across Whitehall is an opportunity for the FCDO to exert its leadership on all departments spending ODA and ensure that maximum VfM is being achieved across all aid spending. (Conclusion, Paragraph 49) 46
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the premise that the FCDO should exert leadership over other departments' ODA spend, stating that individual departmental Secretaries of State remain accountable, and the Minister for Development already provides cross-government oversight.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
Disagree. Departmental Secretaries of State, Ministers and Accounting Officers remain accountable for the money spent by their department in line with the existing principles of Managing Public Money. The Minister for International Development’s role as chair of the ODA Impact and Delivery Board gives her oversight of cross Government development policy, ensuring stronger strategic delivery to ODA and development activity across Government and improved value for money. In this role the Minister for Development is supported by the Second Permanent Under-Secretary of the FCDO as the cross-Government Development and ODA Senior Responsible Owner.