Bond reacts to FCDO plans to consider future of ICAI

Last week, Baroness Chapman, Minister for International Development and Africa, gave evidence to the International Development Committee on the future of UK aid, as part of its ongoing inquiry.

Following comments made to the committee on the future of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI), the public body responsible for scrutinising the UK government’s spending of Official Development Assistance (ODA), Romilly Greenhill, CEO of Bond, the UK network for NGOs, said:

“We are concerned by the uncertainty raised around the future of ICAI, the public body that monitors the government’s UK aid spending. There is a real risk that transparency and accountability will decline without the robust scrutiny that ICAI has provided to date. As the UK aid budget shrinks, the British taxpayer has the right to see where UK aid is spent. ICAI, as the independent mechanism holding the government to account in spending UK aid effectively and transparently, is more important than ever.

Amid ongoing critical changes to its department, and with allocations for the 2026/27 ODA budget still expected, the FCDO needs to publish the strategy behind its development priorities, and outline how it will continue to deliver lifesaving humanitarian and development support to the world’s most marginalised communities in light of budget and staffing cuts.”

ENDS.

Notes for editors

The Independent Commission for Aid Impact works to improve the quality of UK development assistance through robust, independent scrutiny.
Bond unites and supports a diverse network of over 350 civil society organisations from across the UK, and allies to help eradicate global poverty, inequality and injustice.
For further information or interviews, please get in touch with Emily Loynes at [email protected] or 07909947850