Boris Johnson’s Foreign Office has been blasted for wasting aid cash on Chinese film industry
A Commons committee has called for an overhaul of the £600m Prosperity Fund over 'mismanagement' and 'waste'
BORIS Johnson’s Foreign Office was blasted for wasting its share of Britain’s bloated £14billion aid budget.
The Commons International Development committee found a project to target the world’s poorest was actually splurged on boosting China’s film industry and museums.
It called for an overhaul of the £600million Prosperity Fund.
The committee said the fund lacks transparency and is mismanaged. Money is mainly spent by the Foreign Office but four other departments can also dish out cash.
MPs demanded the Foreign Office learns from the Department for International Development, which should take greater control of spending Prosperity Fund cash.
There were concerns money was being spent to boost trade rather than help the poor.
Committee chairman and Labour MP Stephen Twigg said: “Our report raises concerns that some activities are being badged as ODA without a clear focus on poverty reduction. This lack of clarity risks undermining faith in UK aid.
“Countries should not be selected to receive ODA via the CSSF funding based on security rationale alone.
“With a heavy emphasis on promoting UK trade, the Prosperity Fund risks losing the rightful focus on poverty reduction and is a step towards the return of tied aid. We recommend that existing programmes should be reviewed.
“It is essential that the UK’s spending on aid underpins the reduction of poverty.
“Almost three quarters of the world’s poorest people live in middle income countries but it is unclear to us how some projects - especially those under the banner of the Prosperity Fund - benefit the very poorest, marginalised or most vulnerable communities.”
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A Government spokesperson said: “We have been clear, we must ensure that the aid budget is not just spent well but could not be spent better and standards are raised across Government to achieve value for taxpayers’ money.
“UK aid spending is best done using expertise across government, with departments working together in a joined up way.
“We continue to press for quality and consistent aid spend to achieve results for the world’s poorest and to successfully tackle global challenges such as disease and conflict to make us safer at home - which is firmly in the UK’s interests.”
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