Oral Answers to Questions

Karl McCartney Excerpts

Wednesday 12th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Lynne Featherstone]

I agree that advancement in science will help to take this agenda forward. That is crucial in developing agriculture.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

8. What steps she is taking to ensure value for money in her Department.

[The Secretary of State for International Development (Justine Greening)]

I am determined to ensure that every pound we spend has the maximum impact in reducing poverty, and we are looking at the following: where we spend our money, including in which countries; what we spend our money on, focusing on what works and working collaboratively with other partners; and how we spend that money better, for example by getting better value from suppliers and from multilateral aid organisations.

[Karl MᶜCartney]

I thank my right hon. Friend for her answer. Is she aware of a recent report by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact, which suggests that the EU aid budget—to which her Department, and the UK taxpayer, contribute £1.4 billion a year—lacks an effective oversight regime, and will she therefore consider removing the discretionary element of our contribution to it if the Government cannot secure strong assurances that the money is being spent effectively on the ground?

[Justine Greening]

My hon. Friend will be pleased to know that I am already pressing the EU on that issue. In fact, one of my first trips in my role as Secretary of State for International Development was to meet EU Commissioners, and I have been back to Brussels since to continue those discussions. I hope we can make progress on this matter, but, as my hon. Friend points out, if we do not, I have choices about where our multilateral aid goes.