The newly appointed sub-committee on the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI), which sits within the International Development Committee, confirms that its first inquiry is into the ICAI review of the Newton Fund.
The Newton Fund, which has an annual budget of £735 million from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s overseas development assistance (ODA) budget, supports science and innovation partnerships around the world.
The sub-committee sits within the wider International Development Committee, and its role is to scrutinise the reports of the ICAI. ICAI was established in 2011 to oversee government aid spend across departments and ensure value for money, and its report on the Newton Fund was published in June 2019.
Chaired by Theo Clarke MP, the sub-committee’s core membership is Richard Bacon MP, Sarah Champion MP, Chris Law MP, Kate Osamor MP and Dr Dan Poulter MP.
Chair's comments
Sub-committee on ICAI Chair, Theo Clarke MP, said:
“With scrutiny on UK aid spend more prominent now than ever before, this is an important time to chair the sub-committee on ICAI. ICAI spends months investigating UK Aid projects, and with our work scrutinising their findings, we are providing an additional layer of scrutiny on government ODA.
“The Newton Fund has received critical attention for years, with accusations that it is wasteful with spending and not offering value for money for the British taxpayer. It has a substantial budget, and our work is looking closely at whether it is fit for purpose.”
The sub-committee has recently received written views on the Newton Fund, which will be published in due course, and expects to propose a short report to the main Committee for publication in the coming weeks.
