Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take in relation to the provision of aid to Rwanda, in the light of the findings by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact in their report <i>The effects of DfID's cash transfer programmes on poverty and vulnerability</i>, published on 12 January, that the selection process for cash handouts "correlates only weakly with poverty levels".

60% of Rwandans live below the international poverty line (World Bank, $1.90 per day). DFID supports the Rwandan Government’s Vision Umurenge Programme which targets the extreme poor. Whilst the ICAI report notes that the VUP selection process “correlates only weakly with poverty levels”, according to recent data, 92% of those targeted live below the international poverty line. With DFID's support the Rwandan government has developed new targeting guidelines and a new management information system to improve this.