Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Scott Mann and Lord Wharton of Yarm

Wednesday 14th September 2016 Commons Chamber

[Scott Mann (North Cornwall) (Con)]

4. What steps her Department is taking to ensure that its funding goes to legitimate causes.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development (James Wharton)]

DFID is engaged in tackling some of the great global challenges of our time. The Department has in place rigorous systems and processes to ensure that the money we spend gets to those for whom it is intended.

[Scott Mann]

Does the Minister agree that UK taxpayers need to be considered at every single step of the way when it comes to our aid spending?

[James Wharton]

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. He is absolutely right. He may have seen the words of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in the Daily Mail only today setting out her vision for the future direction of the Department’s spending. We need rigorous accountability. We need proper business cases. We need a clear sense of what we want to achieve. That is exactly what this ministerial team will bring and what this Government will deliver.