Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
8th Report - Empowering Development: Energy Access for Communities
International Development Committee
HC 849
Published 14 November 2025
Recommendations
17
Deferred
Adopt a multi-dimensional evaluation framework for community energy projects, accounting for equity and accessibility
Recommendation
The FCDO should adopt a multi-dimensional evaluation framework for community-led energy projects, that accounts for long-term equity, accessibility, and system legitimacy, by June 2026. To do so, it should support the collection of broader impact metrics through appropriate incentives. This …
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Government Response Summary
The government partially agrees, noting it already uses disaggregated data and will improve climate finance reporting via an upcoming MEL contract. However, it is unable to commit to adopting a multi-dimensional evaluation framework for community-led energy projects by June 2026, pending future resourcing decisions.
18
Deferred
Trade-offs between poverty alleviation and climate objectives are not openly acknowledged
Recommendation
The Government should not hide behind the complexities of the global clean energy transition. Aid must advance poverty alleviation while also contributing to climate mitigation and adaptation. While these objectives can sometimes pull in different directions, trade-offs should be openly …
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Government Response Summary
The government partially agrees, but its response does not address the recommendation to openly acknowledge and debate trade-offs in aid policy. Instead, it focuses on deepening collaboration with DESNZ, embedding lessons learnt, and commissioning a study on UK secondary benefits to inform two-way learning between domestic and international energy initiatives by March 2026.
Conclusions (2)
5
Conclusion
Deferred
The FCDO must embed energy access across development, climate and humanitarian policies. A departmental working group should be set up by the end of 2026 to coordinate delivery. The FCDO should also create 32 targeted funding and measurable incentives for programmes that integrate energy access with other sectors, including health, …
Government Response Summary
The government's response appears to be misaligned with the recommendation provided. It refers to reviewing accountability frameworks within the next six months (a specific action, but for another recommendation), and mentions past activities such as a webinar and a report on localisation published in November 2025. It does not address embedding energy access across policies, setting up a working group, or creating targeted funding as requested by the original recommendation.
16
Conclusion
Deferred
Conventional value-for-money frameworks overlook long-term social benefits, which undervalues inclusive, community-led approaches. The Government’s efforts to advance inclusivity are further constrained by the limited availability of disaggregated data on how energy systems affect women, people with disabilities, or other marginalised groups. (Conclusion, Paragraph 57)
Government Response Summary
The government partially agrees, but its response primarily discusses ODA budget predictability, stability, and risk management, as well as insights from ICAI reviews, without directly addressing how conventional value-for-money frameworks overlook social benefits or the limited availability of disaggregated data.