Written question asked by Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Tunnicliffe (Labour) on Monday, 9 March 2009.

Department for International Development: DEL

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Statement by Lord Tunnicliffe on 12 February (WS 82-83) on the Department for International Development's departmental expenditure, whether any part of the transfers qualify as official development assistance (ODA) under the original allocation to the Department for International Development, and therefore will not count following the transfer; and, if so, whether that represents a decline in the ODA/gross national income ratio.

Answer: Whether UK government spending counts as official development assistance (ODA) depends on the activities funded, not on which department finances them. The Conflict Prevention Pool (CPP) and stabilisation aid fund (SAF) both operate on the basis that they will finance some activities which qualify as ODA, and some which will not. As a result some of the transfers to the CPP and SAF may not score as ODA. We expect that most of the other transferred funds will finance activities which score as ODA. Overall, the transfers will not significantly affect the UK's ODA/gross national income ratio.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 1688; 708 c203WA
Session: 2008-09
Related items: Department for International Development: DEL
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Written questions
House of Lords; Department for International Development: DEL
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Written statements
House of Lords
Subjects: Development aid Department for International Development Public expenditure Departmental expenditure limits
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk