The Guardian: MPs criticize ‘dramatic increase’ in aid spending over lack of transparency
“MPs have criticized a ‘dramatic increase’ in aid spending in ministries outside the Department for International Development, because they have not put in place adequate measures to assess value for money. A report, by the House of Commons public accounts committee, questioned the doubling of the Newton Fund, managed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, to £735m, despite the department’s ‘weak understanding’ of how funds were spent, where, and with what results. … The PAC report, published on Monday, raised questions over the dramatic increase in aid spending by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office — from 6% of its budget in 2010 to 50% next year. The FCO has spent 45% of its overseas development assistance on ‘frontline diplomatic activity,’ mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, the report said. MPs said more needed to be done by the government to show the £14bn spent on foreign aid is effective. DFID is the only department to meet the government’s transparency targets, it said…” (McVeigh, 9/24).