UK foreign aid budget slashed by £2.9BILLION by Dominic Raab after major review launched
BRITAIN is to slash its international aid budget by £2.9billion, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has confirmed.
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The cut to the foreign aid budget comes in response to the coronavirus pandemic, as the UK's economy is expected to contract. Despite the revision to the budget, the Government will retain its commitment to spending at least 0.7 percent of Gross National Income (GNI) on international aid. At present, the UK is the only G7 country to meet the spending target which was set as a goal by the United Nations in the 1970s.
The announcement of the cut comes after the Government committed last month to merging the Department for International Development with the Foreign Office.
Speaking in the House of Commons at the time, the Prime Minister said merging the two departments would allow the UK to focus on giving aid in line with the country's international interests.
Mr Raab has confirmed that along with the cut in spending, later this year the Government will launch a review to "look at how our aid budget can be used most effectively in our national interest".
Mr Raab said: "The coming months will doubtless bring with them a number of financial challenges, so I am writing to update you on the Government’s plans on how we will ensure we continue to meet our 0.7 percent Gross National Income (GNI) spending commitment for Official Development Assistance (ODA).
"Given the likely decrease in the size of the economy this year, the Prime Minister asked me to identify the changes needed to ensure we meet, but do not exceed the 0.7 percent commitment.
"As this commitment is based on our GNI, when the economy shrinks, our ODA spend also reduces."
The Foreign Secretary said he had met with civil servants and the Development Secretary to review the current budget.
He said: "This has been a thorough process, and we have been able to ensure that the money we will still spend in 2020 remains prioritised on poverty reduction for the ‘bottom billion’, as well as tackling climate change and reversing biodiversity loss, championing girls education, UK leadership in the global response to COVID-19, and campaigning on issues such as media freedom and freedom of religious belief, thereby ensuring that the UK is a global force for good."
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Mr Raab said they had identified £2.9billion worth of reductions, which includes "underspends, delaying activity and stopping some spending".
He added: "The package I have agreed with the Prime Minister maintains our flexibility and enables the Government to manage our ODA spend against an uncertain 0.7 percent position.
"It will see some reductions made now, with arrangements in place to tailor spending further during the remaining months as we start to gain a clearer economic picture.
"I would be happy to speak to you to provide further details if helpful."
But the news has raised questions from International Development Committee Chair Sarah Champion.
The Labour MP said: “The announcement today raises more questions than it answers.
"The letter speaks of delaying activity and stopping some spending – what is the timescale on this?
"If it is with immediate effect, do the projects know or will they find out via the media as DFID staff did about the merger? Is there an overarching strategy in place?
"Will the evaluation of the impact of these cuts be made public? Where is the scrutiny?
“Clearly there has been no consultation, but to release this news literally as parliament rises so there can be no scrutiny by MPs is poor practice.”
Boris Johnson has come under increasing pressure to cut and even scrap the UK's foreign aid budget in recent weeks.
A poll of more than 2,000 Conservative voters by the thinktank Conservative Progress has suggested that nine out of 10 Tory supporters want the commitment which currently costs the UK more than £15 billion a year ditched.
Around 55 percent think the 0.7 percent of GDP commitment should go altogether while 36.6 percent think it should be reduced to a lower level.