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Multilateral Foreign Policy > Published by Will Straw, August 12th 2010 at 12:23 pm

DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world’s poor

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Additional reporting from David Taylor

Civil servants in the Department for International Development are recommending that Ministers drop close to 100 public commitments including many with “strong public backing”. Among those for the chop are commitments to double support to global education and to spend £6 billion of new money on health services and systems.

A ‘submission to Ministers‘ from DfID’s Director of Policy, Nick Dyer, sets out the full list of commitments that officials “recommend dropping”. The submission says:

“The full list of commitments we recommend dropping is at Annex 1. These have been categorised by those we think have strong public backing and are likely to be resisted; will upset other government departments; have individual vocal support; will be overtaken by new Ministerial priorities or initiatives; or are unlikely to be noticed. There will be stakeholders who will argue we should keep some of these eg. the US and the Gates Foundation with respect to polio and neglected tropical diseases.”

The list includes plans to:

• Double support to global education, reaching £1 billion by 2010 as part of a commitment to spend at least £8.5 billion in the 10 years to 2015;

• Spend £6bn on health services and systems by 2015;

• Quadruple support to fair and ethical trade; and

• £1 billion per year on support to growth and trade.

The recommendations follow the Conservative party’s intention – set out in ‘One World Conservatism‘ – to achieve “value for money through output-based aid” through an approach that “will measure success by outputs and outcomes, not inputs.” The approach was not endorsed in the Coalition Programme. Many of the proposals listed in Annex were proposed in Labour’s White Paper last summer, ‘Eliminating World Poverty: Building our common future‘.

In addition to worries about the public commitments that face the chop, there will be concerns that some policies recommended for the scrapheap are actually output-focused. These include existing pledges to “Support 8 million children in school in Africa by 2010″ and to “Help 25m people gain access to water & sanitation in Africa over next 5 years & 30mn people in S. Asia by 2011″.

UPDATE 17.01

Responding to Left Foot Forward’s story, Shadow Minister for International Development, Gareth Thomas MP said:

“This leaked list is deeply shocking. It shows behind all the warm words about keeping our commitments to the worlds poorest – Tory Ministers are planning to abandon many of the key commitments which have established the UK as a leader in tackling global poverty and disease over recent years.

“Other commitments amazingly earmarked for dropping include Labour’s commitment to scale up funding for the incredibly successful ethical and fairtrade movement, and to support work with faith based organisations.

“Officials have also been asked by ministers to cynically earmark commitments they think can be dropped without anyone noticing – including UK support to the UN Peacbuilding Fund.

“These revelations seriously undermine any claims the government have made about taking the international development agenda seriously and will shock many of the organisations who have campaigned over many years for these commitments.”

Joseph O’Reilly, Chair of the UK Global Campaign for Education said:

“This is deeply worrying document. If the commitment to doubling aid to education is scrapped it would undermine years of good work by campaigners and the public to put education in developing countries on the government’s agenda. Developing countries could be currently losing out on as much as $70bn a year in economic growth by not offering quality education to all citizens, so to scrap plans to double aid for schools is economic short-termism of the highest order. David Cameron must resist this cut, and re-state his commitment to International Development and education in particular.

  • http://twitter.com/davidtaylor85/status/20967457806 David Taylor

    Breaking News: RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/2me2you2me/status/20967478216 2me2you

    RT @DavidTaylor85: Breaking News: RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/markfergusonuk/status/20967555213 Mark Ferguson

    RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/incannes/status/20967690631 James Murphy

    RT @wdjstraw: BREAKING: DfID recommend slashing commitments to health, education & fair trade (via @leftfootfwd) http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/tom_watson/status/20967700648 tom_watson

    RT @wdjstraw: BREAKING: DfID recommend slashing commitments to health, education & fair trade (via @leftfootfwd) http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/chrisjords/status/20967736205 Chris Jordan

    The start of a trend? DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/labourcid/status/20967739455 LCID

    Commitments DfID recommend slashing inc £6bn on health, £8.5bn education, £200m on fair trade, £1bn on aid for trade http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/liammckee/status/20967753053 Liam McKee

    RT @DavidTaylor85: Breaking News: RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/bristolred/status/20967753304 Darren Lewis

    RT @wdjstraw: BREAKING: DfID recommend slashing commitments to health, education & fair trade (via @leftfootfwd) http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/nigelewisham/status/20967828036 Nigel D

    I thought the aid budget was "ringfenced" http://tinyurl.com/27jeyhu Lying #ConDem bastards

  • http://twitter.com/benjiw/status/20967951654 Ben W

    RT @wdjstraw: BREAKING: DfID recommend slashing commitments to health, education & fair trade (via @leftfootfwd) http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/jossgarman/status/20968011096 Joss Garman

    RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/redstarbelsize/status/20968028611 William French

    RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/katiecurtis/status/20968049954 KatieCurtis

    RT @LabourCID: Commitments DfID recommend slashing inc £6bn on health, £8.5bn education, £200m on fair trade, £1bn on aid for trade http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/wdmnews/status/20968137804 kate blagojevic

    Unlikely to be noticed? we'll see about that RT @leftfootfwd DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/tracycarty/status/20969864627 Tracy Carty

    RT @wdjstraw: BREAKING: DfID recommend slashing commitments to health, education & fair trade (via @leftfootfwd) http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/warrenmorgan/status/20970034252 Warren Morgan

    RT @JamesAnthonyRN: RT @LabourCID: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor say Left Foot Forward / @leftfootfwd http://fb.me/A19A3sYF

  • http://twitter.com/fortunejf/status/20970205886 Joe Fortune

    RT @CoopParty: Proposed ConDem cuts at DfID include slashing commitments to #Fairtrade, plus health & education http://s.coop/2dc via @w …

  • http://twitter.com/lucypearceox/status/20970280068 Lucy Pearce

    RT @wdmuk: RT @wdjstraw: BREAKING: DfID recommend slashing commitments to health, education & fair trade http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/yorkierosie/status/20970363268 yorkierosie

    RT @JamesAnthonyRN: RT @LabourCID: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor say Left Foot Forward / @leftfootfwd http://fb.me/A19A3sYF

  • http://twitter.com/georginarannard/status/20970417338 Georgina Rannard

    DfID recommend slashing commitments to global education and building health systems http://tiny.cc/t0rr4

  • http://twitter.com/entity67/status/20970734029 Nigel Thornton

    RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/samtarry/status/20970794089 Samuel Tarry

    RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/peterptashko/status/20970931627 Peter Ptashko

    RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • nigel thornton

    The headline on this is misleading; the recommendation is to drop policy commitments made under the previous government, not projects. If all these commitments are dropped, it is likely to have an impact on many more than 100 projects.

  • http://twitter.com/glasgow_red/status/20971618730 J P

    RT @CoopParty: Proposed ConDem cuts at DfID include slashing commitments to #Fairtrade, plus health & education http://s.coop/2dc via @wdjstraw

  • http://twitter.com/jackpalmer88/status/20971886435 Jack Palmer

    RT @SamTarry: RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/shepleygreen/status/20972845955 Michael Green

    Striking thing about #dfid cuts (http://bit.ly/94Ndru) is how many commitments had been made. Some focus welcome. (via @samdbarratt)

  • http://twitter.com/unionlearnnorth/status/20972957611 unionlearn Northern

    DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor | Left Foot Forward http://goo.gl/kX14

  • http://twitter.com/emrys_s/status/20972964782 Emrys Schoemaker

    RT @shepleygreen: Striking thing about #dfid cuts (http://bit.ly/94Ndru) is how many commitments had been made. Some focus welcome. (via @samdbarratt)

  • http://twitter.com/derekjohnbryant/status/20973174613 Derek Bryant

    RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/juderobinson/status/20973193025 Juderobinson

    RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV Lib Dems and Tories attack the poorest.

  • http://twitter.com/redmikerowley/status/20973585470 Mike Rowley

    RT @wdjstraw: BREAKING: DfID recommend slashing commitments to health, education & fair trade (via @leftfootfwd) http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/spitfirepilot1/status/20973808305 Chris Horner

    RT @wdjstraw: BREAKING: DfID recommend slashing commitments to health, education & fair trade (via @leftfootfwd) http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/superbadger/status/20974162584 SuperBadger

    DfID are recommending slashing 100 projects some with "strong public backing" http://bit.ly/94Ndru

  • http://twitter.com/robinhood/status/20974591273 Robin Hood

    DfID are recommending slashing 100 projects some with "strong public backing" http://bit.ly/94Ndru A tax on banks could help pay for these.

  • http://twitter.com/joewalkeruk/status/20974617724 Joe Walker

    RT @wdjstraw: BREAKING: DfID recommend slashing commitments to health, education & fair trade (via @leftfootfwd) http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://bestblogs.labourhome.org/2010/08/12/dfid-recommend-slashing-100-projects-to-help-the-world%e2%80%99s-poor/ DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world’s poor « The best Labour blogs

    [...] More… [...]

  • http://twitter.com/sarahwatto/status/20974840326 Sarah Watson

    RT @RobinHood: DfID are recommending slashing 100 projects some with "strong public backing" http://bit.ly/94Ndru A tax on banks could help pay for these.

  • http://twitter.com/sage_dev/status/20975159189 Oriel Kenny

    RT @robinhood: DfID are recommending slashing 100 projects some with "strong public backing" http://bit.ly/94Ndru A tax on banks could h …

  • http://twitter.com/lisajames/status/20975554847 Lisa James

    RT @RobinHood: DfID are recommending slashing 100 projects some with "strong public backing" http://bit.ly/94Ndru A tax on banks could help pay for these.

  • http://twitter.com/aaiiaa/status/20979290940 sharath srinivasan

    RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/tweetminster/status/20983290655 Tweetminster

    "@DFID_UK recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world’s poor" http://bit.ly/bThckP – Left Foot Forward

  • http://twitter.com/globaljusticeuk/status/20984562346 Deborah Doane

    RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/dianeashton/status/20985856082 Diane Ashton

    RT @wdjstraw: BREAKING: DfID recommend slashing commitments to health, education & fair trade (via @leftfootfwd) http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/08/mitchell%e2%80%99s-ouput-based-crusade-risks-trying-dfid-in-knots/ Mitchell’s ‘ouput-based’ crusade risks trying DfID in knots | Left Foot Forward

    [...] today Left Foot Forward published a leaked document from the Department for International Development showing a list of nearly 100 [...]

  • http://twitter.com/malarky67/status/20994563697 StephenH

    RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/jamespevans/status/21002630825 James Evans

    RT @tweetminster: "@DFID_UK recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world’s poor" http://bit.ly/bThckP – Left Foot Forward

  • http://twitter.com/appg_hiv_aids/status/21047278512 appg hiv aids

    leaked DFID doc shows recommendation to abandon the £6bn health systems pledge from which AIDS funds are sourced http://tinyurl.com/27jeyhu

  • http://twitter.com/pattisoapbox/status/21047507899 pattisoapbox

    RT @Juderobinson: RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV Lib Dems and Tori …

  • http://twitter.com/annebabcock/status/21059428790 annebabcock

    Keep the promise? What promise? http://bit.ly/ci2gQQ #DFID_UK recommend slashing 100 projects including £6 on health systems

  • http://twitter.com/annebabcock/status/21060032305 annebabcock

    @DFID Keep the promise? http://bit.ly/ci2gQQ #DFID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world’s poor

  • http://twitter.com/annebabcock/status/21060060753 annebabcock

    @DFID_UK Keep the promise? http://bit.ly/ci2gQQ #DFID_UK recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world’s poor

  • http://twitter.com/keithalcorn/status/21062447277 keithalcorn

    Read all the background briefing and full story on what programmes DFID is considering for cuts @leftfootfwd: http://bit.ly/ci2gQQ

  • http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/08/uncertainty-over-dfid-commitment-on-aid-effectiveness/ Uncertainty over DfID commitment on aid effectiveness | Left Foot Forward

    [...] Left Foot Forward reported on the leaked DfID documents outlining up to 100 projects that may be scrapped, as part of their [...]

  • http://resultsuk.wordpress.com/2010/08/13/results-responds-to-leaked-dfid-document-on-dropping-aid-pledges/ RESULTS responds to leaked DFID document on dropping aid pledges | RESULTS UK – The Power to End Poverty

    [...] RESULTS responds to leaked DFID document on dropping aid pledges Posted on 13/08/2010 by resultsuk RESULTS UK is calling on the Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell to provide a full explanation of why officials in the Department for International Development (DFID) were tasked to produce a list of pu…. [...]

  • http://twitter.com/joewalkeruk/status/21076076486 joewalkeruk

    We saw it coming!!! RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/rachel_pulfer/status/21125142441 Rachel Pulfer

    RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/paulcadario/status/21188934227 Paul Cadario

    DFID cuts UK aid program, starting with thing no one will notice, but warns of powerful interests to reckon with http://bit.ly/cVBq71

  • http://twitter.com/philcane/status/21253866087 Philip Cane

    .@DFID_UK recommend slashing 100 projects in review of UK Aid http://bit.ly/bThckP – http://gu.com/p/2j389/ip

  • http://twitter.com/fairtradesleuth/status/21269437535 Fairtrade Sleuth

    Does this mean £12m promised to @FairtradeUK last Oct to be cut? RT @leftfootfwd DfID recommend slashing 100 projects http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/coopparty/status/21293042333 Co-operative Party

    RT @fairtradesleuth: Does this mean £12m promised to @FairtradeUK last Oct to be cut? RT @leftfootfwd DfID recommend slashing 100 projects http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://www.globaldashboard.org/2010/08/16/a-silent-withdrawal-from-ringfencing-the-aid-budget-hmm/ A “silent withdrawal from ringfencing the aid budget”? Hmm. | Economics and development | Global Dashboard

    [...] predictable howls of outrage from, well, everyone you’d expect (see this post on Left Foot Forward, and this Observer piece from over the weekend), plus an accusation from Caroline Crampton in the [...]

  • http://twitter.com/millenniuminst/status/21311644925 Millennium Institute

    RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/llopezgonzalez/status/21341729966 Laura Lopez Gonzalez
  • http://twitter.com/flipland/status/21352446499 Flipland

    UK's DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV #aid #humanitarian #MDG #poverty

  • http://twitter.com/benmosley/status/21490574706 Ben Mosley

    DFID proposals to abandon key international aid commitments are totally shameful. http://bit.ly/94Ndru #condemnation

  • http://twitter.com/celticchickadee/status/21492313776 isla dowds

    RT @BenMosley: DFID proposals to abandon key international aid commitments are totally shameful. http://bit.ly/94Ndru #condemnation

  • http://twitter.com/bigjldn/status/21493130611 Jonathan Shearing

    RT @BenMosley: DFID proposals to abandon key international aid commitments totally shameful. http://bit.ly/94Ndru #condemnation <Disgraceful

  • http://twitter.com/richardangell/status/21494195720 Richard Angell

    RT @BenMosley: DFID proposals to abandon key international aid commitments are totally shameful. http://bit.ly/94Ndru #condemnation

  • Disgusted

    I am utterly appalled that this can even be proposed without any mention of the necessary (and welcome) job cuts within DFID. I am sure we could redirect an overseas rug allowance to one or two hungry villages as well. Not rocket science.

  • http://twitter.com/siantlmew/status/21756758921 Sian

    How did i miss this? DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor | Left Foot Forward http://goo.gl/kX14 Action needed!!

  • http://twitter.com/leprosytalk/status/21895867867 The Leprosy Mission

    RT @SianTLMEW: How did i miss this? DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor | Left Foot Forward http://goo.gl/kX14 …

  • http://twitter.com/martindrewry/status/21909918331 Martin Drewry

    RT @leftfootfwd: DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world's poor http://bit.ly/achIhV

  • http://twitter.com/offsetwarehouse/status/21933745972 Offset Warehouse

    DfID recommend slashing 100 projects to help the world’s poor

    http://bit.ly/a59NJ4

  • http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/08/mitchell-perception-created-by-dfid-leak-is-total-bollocks/ Mitchell: perception created by DfID leak is “total bollocks” | Left Foot Forward

    [...] call from International Development Secretary, Andrew Mitchell, congratulating Left Foot Forward on our story about a leaked internal DfID document and inviting us for a conversation about the Coalition’s development [...]

  • http://www.worldbank.org Paul

    smart decision to do away with Tony Blair’s and Gordon Brown’s stupid legacies.

  • http://www.goodporkbadpork.com/2010/08/a-myopic-tory-approach-to-fighting-global-poverty-john-hilary/ A myopic Tory approach to fighting global poverty | John Hilary | GoodPorkBadPork.com

    [...] the first leaked memo, DfID’s director of policy, Nick Dyer, recommended that Mitchell should drop all but 19 of [...]

  • http://mrhattsi.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/dead-aid/ Dead Aid? « Mr. Hattsi writes

    [...] Left Foot Forward initially received a leaked ‘submission to Ministers’ from DFID’s Director of Policy, Nick Dyer, on August 12, the story has continued to run until [...]

  • http://dansmithsblog.com/2010/09/07/dfid-leaks-about-aid-and-security/ DFID leaks about aid and security | Dan Smith's blog

    [...] mid-August the Left Foot Forward web-site reported that DFID officials were recommending “slashing 100 projects to help the [...]

  • http://party.coopserver.co.uk/2010/08/12/condem-slashing-support-for-fairtrade-foreign-aid/ ConDem slashing support for Fairtrade & foreign aid | The Co-operative Party

    [...] as David Taylor at Left Foot Forward reports, DfID has recommended canceling near to 100 commitments, including plans to double support to [...]

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