Written evidence submitted by WaterAid
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 WaterAid welcomes this Draft Bill. It
will strengthen the UK government's support for development, and
make financial commitments more secure, in fair times or foul.
The commitment to spend 0.7% of national income on ODA dates back
to 1970—it is high time that the UK meets it. There is now
broad cross-party consensus on this issue. Putting the commitment
into legislation will mean that governments now and in the future
will find it harder to backslide on aid, and it will set an example
for other OECD countries to follow.
2. SCOPE OF
THE BILL
2.1 The text of the Draft Bill as it stands
is adequate to achieve the stated objective of ensuring 0.7% of
GNI is set aside for ODA, and making this legally binding from
2013. The accountability conditions set out in section 2 of
the bill are clear.
3. PREDICTABILITY
OF AID
3.1 The UK's current aid commitments are
tied to the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) process. CSRs
set out spending commitments only for the subsequent three financial
years. This can have a negative impact on aid effectiveness, as
it impairs recipient countries' ability to plan more than three
years ahead.
3.2 Many development investments, including
in the water and sanitation sector, have costs which need to be
spread out over a much longer period of time. With this act passed,
the DFID could give longer-term guarantees to developing country
partners, which would improve the effectiveness of its aid.
3.3 This is also in line with the UK government's
commitment to aid predictability under the Accra Agenda for Action—"Donors
will provide developing countries with regular and timely information
on their rolling three—to five-year forward expenditure
and/or implementation plans. … Donors will address
any constraints to providing such information."
4. NECESSITY
OF THIS
LEGISLATION
4.1 This long-standing commitment has not
been met for 40 years, and only recently has the UK set concrete
interim targets for achieving it. Legislating on the commitment
will make it harder for future governments to renege of their
undertakings. However, the Bill will also have impacts beyond
the UK.
The Gleneagles commitments on increasing aid
volumes have not been followed through by all countries. Many
donors have cut their aid budgets in the wake of the recent global
recession. This Bill will set an example to other OECD countries
that the 0.7% commitment is a an issue of great importance, and
will cement the UK's position as one of the most progressive donors.
2 February 2010
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