Prosperity Fund: Sustainable Development Goals

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale Excerpts

Thursday 7th February 2019 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Stedman-Scott]

The noble Baroness raises a very important point. Nobody wants to see children starve, and our aid budget and the agencies that we work with—the NGOs—are doing everything they can to get food to these children to ensure they do not struggle in this way.

[Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale (Lab)]

My Lords, that is one of the clearest answers we have had yet from Ministers on the link between these funds and the sustainable development goals, and I welcome it. But will the Government take the opportunity, during the UK’s voluntary national review to the United Nations this summer, to publish that detail in terms of monitoring and evaluation of these expenditures in relation to the goals? Will they do so not just for the prosperity fund but for the other funds that are being spent by departments outside of DfID?

[Baroness Stedman-Scott]

The noble Lord raises a very important point. Transparency is critical, and I do not believe there is any desire not to be transparent on these matters. The CSSF is working hard to increase transparency and has made major progress. Over the past 18 months, the CSSF has listened to feedback and worked on publishing more information on its programmes, its objectives and how its programmes are performing. I have no doubt that if the noble Lord still does not think we are up to scratch, he will let us know.