Theresa May demands aid budget goes towards ‘world’s poorest’ after consultants, bankers and celebs pocket fortune
The Department for International Development admitted that consultancy spending had doubled to almost £1 billion a year since 2012
THERESA MAY yesterday demanded Britain’s aid budget goes on the “world’s poorest” after revelations that consultants, bankers and celebrity speakers have pocketed a fortune.
The Department for International Development (Dfid) admitted that consultancy spending had doubled to almost £1 billion a year since 2012 – with ten British companies receiving almost half the money.
One British think tank asked for £10,306 to write a blog. Banking giant JP Morgan shared £1 million of taxpayers’ cash with a law firm to advise a Nigerian sovereign wealth fund.
The PM’s official spokeswoman insisted the Government was “very clear” that taxpayers money should be spent in the “most cost effective and efficient way”.
And she vowed: “There have already been steps taken to make sure that British aid ends up where it should, helping people, the world’s poorest around the world to deal with a range of issues that not only affect them but affect us here in the UK.
“And we will continue to work with the sector to make sure that there are the highest standards possible.”
The fresh revelations in the Sun’s sister paper the Times pile yet more pressure on the Government to justify the huge amounts of taxpayers cash going overseas.
Britain by law has to spend 0.7 per cent of its economic output - £12 billion – on overseas projects.
But insiders say the pressure to spend the money has seen civil servants sanction splurge cash on private sector agencies and consultancies.