Andrew Mitchell, the development secretary, has authorised the setting up of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) which he hopes will address concerns that some overseas aid is being mis-spent. It will base its inquiries on public demand, asking voters which aspects of the £11 billion aid budget should be investigated.
It's hoped the commission will quell public doubts about the value of the aid budget, which is increasing even as other public spending falls sharply.
Overall aid spending will rise from £7.8 billion this year to £11.5 billion under a coalition pledge to provide real increases in development funding.
Andrew Mitchell said: "This marks a major step forward for the interests of the British taxpayer. The Commission will shine a light on where aid works and where improvements are needed.
"Independent scrutiny and transparent analysis will help to ensure that value for money, results and accountability define everything we do".
Very generous of Mr Mitchell to allow us to have a say isn't it. Why do I feel this is another useless PR exercise and this committee has no intention of listening to you or me?
If you do wish to voice your opinion you can do so here. I'm sure Mr Graham Ward, CBE and Chief Commissioner will be delighted to hear from you. There's no rush though. The consultation period is from 14 January for 12 weeks. Sam Bowman is on my wave length.
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19 comments:
None of these consultations are worth a carrot. They're just an illusion of democracy for the gullible. Most of the responses usually come from public sector bodies and vested interests anyway.
Yes. They are the approved way of legitimising the 'required' action. See 'choice'
I note the survey already presumes Global Warming as fact.
Of the entire world destination-choices the survey offers for aid, England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland are strangely absent.
As DP correctly implies, they're run by civil servants on a job-preservation scheme.
I think I gave up completely when Clegg's consultation was ignored Dick.
That's it in a nutshell Chuck. As Dick says it will be the fake charities etc who are 'advisors'.
I was hoping you'd notice that Joe. Surely you know that so many countries need money for global warming?
SR -why do you feel this is another useless PR exercise.
The glut of experience is probably enough of a reason.
RA, is it the foresight we develop as we mature?
An excuse for the state to feed the Quangos with more of our money.
In answer to your question yes they are a waste of time and money.
Much like AGW these days , the funding decrees the results irrespective of the evidence.
They do not need a commission. Tax Justice Network has something big coming up this week. People like Richard Murphy have a huge amount of information. Private Eye has been going on for years. International organisations have substantial amounts of evidence. And the rest. It is all there already. There is also Eurodad. They should start sending the ferrets down the rats nests.
They say a week is a long time in politics.
That may be true Rosa; but a year is enough time to know, living under politics is purgatory.
Consultations are just there to give legitimacy to a course of action which has already been decided. Our council held a "consultation" over the council tax increase which was biased before it started.
"Place the following services in order of preference - refuse collection, road repairs, libraries, street cleaning, etc", all the things that we want. No question about all the strange services which have sprung up in the last ten years or so such as ethnic rights monitoring, gay safety advisers, etc, services which it seems unlikely anyone except a few zealots actually want.
But we've all been consulted, and the libraries are to be cut. Not that they have many books these days - the reference section has largely disappeared (you can look it up on the internet) and DVDs seem to have replaced the books, there being a somewhat better choice in the local charity shops.
Of course you're correct Demetrius. I was reading about the TJN recently.
Why are politicians allowed to set up these commissions willy-nilly? We should protest more about it. Think of the money that would be saved into the bargain.
It is RA and part of the reason is that our politicians are not accountable to us in a reasonable way. A vote every 5 years isn't good enough in this day and age.
I don't suppose your councillors lifted a finger to help either EP. Now that they're salaried their commitment has reduced to nil.
>> I note the survey already presumes Global Warming as fact.
It might be fact, it might not be. I do know that climate change is fact, and anyone who opposes it should be drowned in a vat of marmalade.
Only Keillor's marmalade will do Alec.
Did you mean Keiller's marmalade?
Your spelling is correct Rightwinggit. It's such a long time since I tasted it and of course I should have remembered nevertheless.
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