Foreign aid: Jeremy Vine caller backs further spending cuts

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On Wednesday the Foreign Office announced its aid budget plans. Britain is required by law to give 0.7 percent of Gross National Income to international aid each year. Last autumn Chancellor the Government would lower the commitment to 0.5 percent in light of the pandemic.

Just under £10billion to be allocated for aid spending in 2021/22.

Announcing how the cuts in the budget would be met, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said money to China would be slashed by 95 percent to £900,000.

However, it has now emerged tens of millions of pounds could still be sent to Beijing by being distributed via the Business Department.

Almost half of the foreign aid sent to China goes via the department, according to the Daily Mail.

The funding will be exempt from the cuts.

Money from the Business Department will be spent on projects such as improving green energy production to reduce China’s reliance on fossil fuels.

In 2019 money was also spent on researching air pollution in cities and improving health facilities.

The Business Department said: “We do not provide aid funding for projects that support Chinese development.”

Cuts in aid to China were welcomed when announced earlier this week.

Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee and a member of the China Research Group of MPs said: “I’m very pleased to see the figure fall so dramatically.”

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Media campaign manager for the TaxPayers’ Alliance, Danielle Boxall, said: “Slashing foreign aid to China is long overdue.

“Previous projects, like helping the Chinese produce rice, saw a wanton waste of taxpayers’ cash.

“This should be a stepping stone to a proper and permanent cut in the ostentatious overseas aid budget.”

The development that tens of millions will still be sent to China is likely to leave MPs outraged.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith told the Daily Mail it made a mockery of the aid system.

He demanded the “whole of government cut its spending at once”.

Ministers have committed to increasing aid spending again to 0.7 percent once the “fiscal situation allows”.

The Government has faced a backbench rebellion over its decrease in aid allocation, with Tory MPs threatening to side with Labour to defeat the proposals if put to a vote in the House of Commons.

David Davis is among those leading the Tory revolt at the aid cut.

He said last month: “Cutting our aid budget is not a promise we need to break.

“It’s a choice that will cost thousands of children’s lives.

“Before votes are held, the Government must provide a breakdown of cuts undertaken and ensure that no more cuts will be made unless this House approves it.”

So far ministers have resisted calls for a vote, saying while the 0.7 percent spending is enshrined in law, it includes measures for the commitment to be missed in “extraordinary circumstances”.

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