Fourth Report - Effectiveness of UK aid: potential impact of FCO/DFID merger
Select Committee
International Development Committee
HC 596
16 July 2020
Government response
Fourth Special Report - Effectiveness of UK Aid: Interim Report & Effectiveness of UK Aid: potential impact of FCO/DFID merger: Government Response to the Second & Fourth Reports · published 2 Oct 2020
Recommendations & Conclusions
4 results
5
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 57
UK aid spending amplifies the UK’s voice on the world stage, promoting our national interest...
Conclusion
UK aid spending amplifies the UK’s voice on the world stage, promoting our national interest by projecting our core values, and transforming the lives of people living in the very poorest countries. A potential shift of the UK’s ODA budget …
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Government Response Summary
The government affirms its commitment to protecting the most vulnerable and poverty reduction, stating this is central to its work and reflected in current ODA priorities such as humanitarian crises and support for vulnerable countries.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
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7
Recommendation
Accepted
Para 64
The UK’s development legislation plays an intrinsic part in ensuring that aid is spent well...
Recommendation
The UK’s development legislation plays an intrinsic part in ensuring that aid is spent well and is focused upon poverty reduction. The very presence of this legislation demonstrates the UK’s role as a serious player in international development, and accordingly …
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Government Response Summary
The government confirms its commitment to poverty reduction and states it will undergo the necessary process to transfer responsibilities under the International Development Act to the new FCDO, maintaining the legislation and the 0.7% aid spending commitment.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
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10
Recommendation
Accepted
Para 77
In the face of pandemic-related budget cuts, difficult decisions will need to be made as...
Recommendation
In the face of pandemic-related budget cuts, difficult decisions will need to be made as to how savings can be made whilst protecting the overall effectiveness of aid spending. Given the grave challenges faced by developing countries in tackling COVID-19, …
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Government Response Summary
The government commits to prioritising ODA spend for 2020 on key strategic objectives, including humanitarian crises and the COVID-19 response, and will continue to invest in multi-annual programmes and local leadership of projects.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
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11
Recommendation
Accepted
Para 83
To safeguard the effectiveness of UK aid interventions, the Government should set out how it...
Recommendation
To safeguard the effectiveness of UK aid interventions, the Government should set out how it intends to capture and retain DFID expertise in doing development well, and what plans are in place to rapidly train FCO staff in the skills …
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Government Response Summary
The government details its plan to develop staff skills in the new FCDO by prioritising learning and development, embedding best practices from the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, integrating operating frameworks, and utilizing technical advisers and existing learning platforms to maintain high-quality programme management.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
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