Official Development Assistance

Earl of Courtown Excerpts

Monday 21st July 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

It would be a very strange former Minister for Development who would not regret a reduction in the budget—or any Minister in any department, because that is not what any of us is here to do. The Liberal Democrats prioritising certain budgets ahead of others is for them to answer, not me.

[The Earl of Courtown (Con)]

My Lords, on these Benches we are clear that the primary duty of any Government is to their own people and country. We will always view ODA in that context. A new Independent Commission for Aid Impact report projects that, by 2027-28, one-fifth of ODA will be spent on supporting refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. Does the Minister think this is money well spent? Can she take this opportunity to confirm how much of the ODA budget will be spent on the Government’s Chagos deal?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

ODA is not being spent on the Chagos deal, as the noble Earl should know; I have told him about four times. We inherited a situation in which about one-third of the ODA budget was spent on in-donor refugee costs, and I think that is disgraceful. I want to see that percentage reduced. The Home Office has reduced costs by around one-third over the last year, but ODA pays for only the first year of it, so they need to go a lot further to keep me happy—but, trust me, they are motivated.