1 Introduction
1. This report reviews the International Development
Committee's work during 2007 in relation to the objectives and
core tasks established by the Liaison Committee. The core tasks
and objectives are as follows:
- Inquiries into:
- Government policy proposals
- areas seen by the Committee as requiring examination because of deficiencies
- departmental actions
- associated public bodies
- major appointments
- implementation of legislation
- major policy initiatives
- Examination of any draft legislation
- Examination of expenditure
- Examination of Public Service Agreements.
2. The format of the report is intended to show examples
of the work which the Committee has undertaken in relation to
the core tasks which are relevant to it. As we indicated in our
annual report last year,[1]
the core tasks do not apply equally to all committees and our
Committee operates in a slightly different way from others. The
Department for International Development (DFID), the Department
whose area of work we monitor, generates little by way of legislation;
it has no associated public bodies;[2]
and the Secretary of State is rarely responsible for major public
appointments. Much of the policy we examine is implemented jointly
with other country and multilateral donors and often in conjunction
with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), which are both national
and international. We therefore seek to influence policy nationally
and internationally, in addition to ensuring the accountability
of the UK Government and we have adapted the core tasks to these
particular circumstances.
Highlights of the Committee's
Work in 2007
3. DFID's programmes are targeted towards achievement
of the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
whose overriding aim is to halve the number of people living in
poverty by 2015. Our inquiries therefore mainly focus on assessing
the extent to which DFID's policies and activities are contributing
towards reaching the MDGs. This year such inquiries have included:
Sanitation and Water;[3]
and Maternal Health.
4. We also examine DFID's programmes in specific
countries to assess the extent to which these programmes have
met DFID's stated aims. This year we have looked at DFID's programmes
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories,[4]
Vietnam[5] and Afghanistan;
and at the work it is doing to assist Burmese refugees and internally
displaced people in Burma.[6]
We maintained our emphasis on the critical link between development
and trade by examining developments in EU trade with developing
countries; and the Government's support for fair trade. [7]
5. We have continued our practice of reporting on
DFID's own Annual Report of its activities. This year we focused
on examining whether DFID was using its increasing budget effectively
and efficiently, and highlighted staff levels as a possible area
of concern, as well as focusing on some specific policy areas,
including gender and climate change, which we believe are central
to DFID's work. We also had the opportunity this year to comment
on the implications for DFID of the outcome of the Comprehensive
Spending Review.[8]
1 Third Report, Session 2006-07, Work of the Committee
in 2005-06, HC 228 Back
2
DFID does, however, have two associated non-departmental bodies
(see paragraph 52) and DFID wholly owns CDC Group plc, the main
arm for the Department's interventions in private sector development. Back
3
Sixth Report, Session 2006-07, Sanitation and Water, HC
126 Back
4
Fourth Report, Session 2006-07, Development Assistance and
the Occupied Palestinian Territories, HC 114 Back
5
Eighth Report, Session 2006-07, DFID's Programme in Vietnam,
HC 732 Back
6
Tenth Report, Session 2006-07, DFID Assistance to Burmese Internally
Displaced People and Refugees on the Thai-Burma Border, HC
645 Back
7
Fifth Report, Session 2006-07, EU Development and Trade Issues:
an update, HC 271; Seventh Report, Session 2006-07, Fair
Trade and Development, HC 356; Second Report, Session 2007-08,
Development and Trade: Cross-departmental Working, HC 68 Back
8
First Report, Session 2007-08, Department for International
Development Annual Report 2007, HC 64 Back
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