Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the analysis by Lord Macdonald of River Glaven of their decision to cut the level of foreign aid spending to 0.5 per cent of the national income.

The Foreign Secretary has taken a range of advice in respect of the decision to reduce aid spending to 0.5% of GNI. The International Development (Official Assistance Target) Act 2015 clearly envisages that the 0.7% target may not be met in a particular year, in the light of economic and fiscal circumstances, and provides for reporting to Parliament in the event that the target is not met. Since the economic situation is difficult to predict, we are monitoring the situation and planning accordingly.