16Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Bill introduced to restore scrutiny of international aid

Bill introduced to restore scrutiny of international aid

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have secured cross-party support for a Bill being introduced which would create a new select committee to scrutinise Overseas Development Assistance expenditure by the Government. The move, supported by former International Development Committee Sarah Champion and former DFID Minister Harriett Baldwin, follows the Prime Minister's decision to abolish the Department for International Aid and rumours the Chancellor now intends to scrap foreign aid. Liberal Democrat MP Wendy Chamberlain, who is bringing in the Bill, has stressed the need to ensure “that where UK aid is delivered, it delivers”. In recent weeks, the Government has confirmed plans to axe a £12.5m project to cut teen pregnancy and sexual violence in Rwanda while £4.8m of the aid budget was shifted “to strengthen global supply chains” of supermarket giants including…
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18Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems use Urgent Question to challenge Govt on DFID merger

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat International Development spokesperson Wendy Chamberlain has today challenged the Foreign Secretary on the “wrongheaded” decision to merge the Department of International Development with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In an Urgent Question in the House of Commons, Wendy Chamberlain blasted the Prime Minister’s description of DFID as a “cashpoint in the sky”. She also raised mounting concerns about future funding for DFID projects and the risk of job cuts for current DFID staff in the midst of a public health emergency and economic crisis. Following the Urgent Question Wendy Chamberlain said: “This merger has already been condemned by NGOs and no less than three former Prime Ministers. The Foreign Secretary's desperate scramble to mention just one NGO that supports the move demonstrates how unpopular it is. “The fact…
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17Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

PM must think again on DFID in face of COVID-19 global health emergency

Parliamentary news
Responding to the COVID-19 update from the Prime Minister, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “News that a drug has been identified that can help treat COVID-19 will be welcomed by all. But - to get a grip on this global pandemic - finding a vaccine remains vital. “Given the ongoing public health emergency, the Prime Minister must show global leadership, not least by working with our international partners to develop and distribute a COVID-19 vaccine. Instead, he has chosen to set out plans to abolish the Department of International Development, which for years has funded vital work in public health, including the work of GAVI - the global Vaccine Alliance. “It was the Liberal Democrats who enshrined the 0.7% aid commitment into UK law. This is…
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