STORY
International Development Committee chair Sarah Champion has criticised the Government for failing to give a firm commitment on aid spending. She had sought reassurance that official development assistance would remain at 0.3% of gross national income for the duration of the spending review period.
Development Minister Baroness Chapman said the Government’s commitment to international development remained important and that FCDO allocations had been set out for three years. However, she also said future plans remained subject to revision because of changing global needs and other allocation decisions.
Champion said the response did not fill her or the committee with confidence. She argued that if the UK wanted to deliver its new approach to global partnerships, it needed to ensure aid spending did not fall below 0.3% of GNI.