Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has rejected a rebel amendment seeking to overturn the Government’s cuts to foreign aid spending.
The news follows the announcement by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in November 2020 that the Government would renege on the 2019 Tory manifesto pledge and cut foreign aid from 0.7 per cent of GDP to 0.5 per cent, amounting to a reduction of around £4bn.
Mr Sunak cited “long term scarring” caused by the economic measures introduced as a result of the pandemic as one explanation for the cut, prompting outrage amongst cross-party MPs.
A rebellion backed by at least 30 Conservative MPs, former prime minister Theresa May, and led by the ex-international development secretary Andrew Mitchell, has now been quashed.
But where does the UK’s aid budget go and what does it do?
Here’s everything you need to know.
How much does the UK spend on overseas aid?
In 1970, Britain pledged to spend 0.7 per cent of its income on foreign aid, as part of a United Nations agreement. This commitment was enshrined in law in 2015.
In 2020, Britain spent £14.5bn on foreign aid, a figure that meets the 0.7 per cent target, according to provisional data published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in April.
The United States is the world’s biggest aid donor, followed by Germany, Britain, Japan and France.
What would the impact of cuts to the foreign aid budget be?
The proposed cuts would see millions of pounds pulled from the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and Syria, poverty reduction, clean water, domestic violence support, HIV/AIDS and reproductive health.
David Davis, one of more than 30 Conservatives opposed to the move, said that children could die as a result of UK cuts. “Morally, this is a devastating thing,” he said.
Supporters of the proposed cuts say it is temporary and necessary during a period of economic turbulence, however.
The UK is the only member of the G7 group of major global economies pledging to cut aid this year.
SNP shadow international development spokesman Chris Law MP said the budget cut would risk “holding back our efforts to suppress and eradicate the virus”.
He added: “At a time when poorer countries and vulnerable people face being disproportionately hit by the coronavirus pandemic, this move sends the wrong message and signals a further decline of the UK’s standing on the international stage.”
What are foreign aid funds used for?
Foreign aid can come in the form of food, military equipment, education, staffing or healthcare for countries struggling with basic amenities and services, or during times of war.
There are different types of aid, including emergency and short-term aid following natural disasters or conflict, alongside longer-term assistance in the form of grants, loans or gifts.
Expert organisations such as the World Bank or UN can dispense funds on behalf of individual countries, while charities working with donations from the public can also provide essential resources for those in need.
Which countries are the main beneficiaries of foreign aid?
The top five countries receiving UK aid are Pakistan, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Yemen and Nigeria.
Almost all funds are issued across Africa and Asia.
What has the UK Government said about the proposed aid cuts?
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the changes reflected a “strategic shift” in UK aid spending.
Elsewhere, Andrew Mitchell told The Times: “It would be an extraordinary decision at the very point at which Britain is about to take over the chairmanship of the G7, with a new administration in the White House which will strongly champion the international system. It will diminish us on the world stage.
“Covid has to be beaten everywhere and Britain’s development budget is playing a key role in vulnerable parts of the world where no effective health system exists. This is no time to cut it back beyond the inevitable reductions under the 0.7 formula.”
And what have UK charities said about the proposed cuts?
Charities including Oxfam, Save the Children and WWF UK have written a letter to the government claiming that the aid cuts will undermine the UK’s credibility at the upcoming G7 summit.
Kevin Watkins, the chief executive of Save the Children, said: “The government has lost its moral compass. UK aid for humanitarian response has been cut by almost half since the pandemic and girls’ education, despite being a stated priority of the prime minister, by a quarter.
“The health budget, which they have cut by 14% from last year, includes an increase in funding for Covid-19. They are financing Covid by cutting child health and nutrition programmes that will cost lives.”
