Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to ensure maximum value for money in overseas development assistance spending decisions.

The FCDO employs robust systems and frameworks to ensure we achieve value for money for UK taxpayers. The suitability of organisations receiving ODA, including the projects undertaken, is assessed through FCDO business cases and annual reviews, as set out in the Department's Programme Operating Framework. The Department uses evidence to inform spending decisions and maximise the impact of the UK's ODA. FCDO officials are empowered to adjust programming using our approach to prioritisation set out in the White Paper on International Development.

The Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) independently scrutinises UK ODA to assess value for money and impact [https://icai.independent.gov.uk/].