Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her is taking to monitor the effectiveness of her Department's aid spending in Nepal.

Across our portfolio in Nepal, monitoring plans are in place for every programme. Our strong focus on results delivery ensures we are well placed to monitor the effectiveness of our programmes in delivering planned development outcomes. Regular monitoring activities include staff undertaking field visits on a mandatory basis to verify progress on the ground, with robust annual review processes in place. We also undertake monitoring approaches that involve the beneficiaries of our programmes having the opportunity to provide feedback on programmes, including public audits and participatory monitoring approaches.

Since the earthquake, DFID Nepal has set up a regional office in Gorkha district to increase oversight of humanitarian and reconstruction programmes. The Risk Management Office also provides effective on-the-ground monitoring directly from the districts where our programmes are implemented.

At the bilateral level, DFID Nepal is a core member of the Nepal Portfolio Performance Review led by the government with development partners on an annual and trimester basis.