Overseas Development Assistance

Debate between Lord Agnew of Oulton and Lord Judge

Wednesday 14th July 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Agnew of Oulton (Con)]

Just to restate the point, Section 2 of the 2015 Act envisages circumstances in which the 0.7% target is not met due to

“economic circumstances and, in particular, any substantial change in gross national income”

and

“fiscal circumstances and, in particular, the likely impact of meeting the target on taxation, public spending and public borrowing”.

We last met those requirements in 2018-19.

[Lord Judge (CB)]

Please can the answer to this question not be that the law has not been broken? We had that last week and it was not an answer to my question. Is it consistent with the sovereignty of Parliament that an obligation or duty imposed on the Government by primary legislation can be expunged or suspended by Ministerial Statement?

[Lord Agnew of Oulton (Con)]

My Lords, at the risk of being tedious, we have not in any way expunged the Act. We have suspended it in line with the section that I cited in the previous answer.