Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Andrew Mitchell (Conservative). It was answered on Wednesday, 5 November 2008 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Poverty

Question: On this great day for change, we, too, welcome the Under-Secretary to his new responsibilities. We also welcome the additional humanitarian aid for the Congo, which DFID announced at the weekend. I hope that the Minister has read with concern the report by the respected National Audit Office, which found that a large percentage of development projects in conflict zones suffer from fraud or problems with financial accountability. What do he and the Department plan to do to tackle that?

Answer: First, let me say that I suspect that last night marked the death of the illusion of compassionate conservatism. It was always an illusion. The serious response to the question is that we have always made it clear, and have been complimented on that by the National Audit Office, that maximum transparency and accountability are at the core of not only the way in which we go about our business in the Department, but the leadership that we provide in international institutions. My right hon. Friend's contribution at Accra meant that, from a weak starting point, we have a robust commitment to ensuring maximum value for money and best governance practice.

Secondary information