Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 34
34
Accepted in Part
Standardise MEL reporting requirements for ODA programming across government departments under FCDO oversight.
Recommendation
To enhance the effectiveness and accountability of UK ODA spending, we recommend that MEL reporting requirements of ODA programming should be standardised across all Government departments. In line with our recommendation in Chapter 2, the Second Permanent Under-Secretary at the FCDO should have formal oversight of this, given their responsibility for ODA spend across Government. (Recommendation, Paragraph 104)
Government Response Summary
The government partially agrees, noting existing cross-government guidance supports consistent MEL standards and that a refreshed ODA Delivery and Impact Board will improve data sharing and alignment across government. However, they do not fully commit to standardising all reporting requirements nor to the specific oversight role recommended, maintaining decentralised decision-making.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
Partially agree. Existing cross government guidance on MEL supports consistent standards across departments, supported by the Evaluation Task Force, the Government Social Research publication protocol, and HM Treasury’s Magenta Book. The FCDO applies a range of monitoring and evaluation approaches, with decentralised decision-making to enable teams to focus on priority evidence gaps. The FCDO is also developing a framework to assess global outcomes, which will generate insights to share with other ODA spending departments and build greater coherence. The refreshed ODA Delivery and Impact Board, chaired by the Minister for Development will provide scrutiny of performance, and improve data sharing and alignment of ODA delivery across government.