Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Stephen O'Brien and Guy Opperman

Wednesday 13th October 2010 Commons Chamber

[Guy Opperman (Hexham) (Con)]

3. What steps he is taking to improve arrangements for monitoring the effectiveness of the delivery of overseas aid.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development (Mr Stephen O'Brien)]

What really matters for the world’s poorest is the development results they see on the ground. It is our duty to spend every pound of aid effectively. We will set out expected results for everything we do and monitor them carefully, working with our partners.

[Guy Opperman]

Following the Paris declaration and the subsequent decisions made in Accra in 2008, will the Secretary of State update us on the ability to harmonise the way forward for such donors’ work, rather than being in a position in which that is not complementary, or involves cooking the books?

[Mr O'Brien]

My hon. Friend makes an important point. The commitments in the Paris declaration are based on the lessons learned in relation to improving the impact of aid, including having more focus on results while supporting partner countries’ priorities, not least co-ordinating how various multilateral and bilateral donors come together. When I was in Uganda recently I was heartened to see our DFID office taking a leadership role in bringing multilateral donors together as part of the commitment following the Paris declaration and the Accra agenda thereafter.