Chris Bain responds to the Queen’s Speech
The UK government has failed to introduce legislation in the new Parliamentary session to guarantee the spending of 0.7 per cent of national income on aid to the poorest countries.
It must be noted, however, that this year the UK became the first G8 member country to honour its promise to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on development.
This is the third opportunity the Government has had to put the 0.7 per cent legislation in the Queen’s Speech.
CAFOD’s director Chris Bain said: “The 0.7 per cent legislation is designed to insulate the commitment to aid from the pressures of day-to-day politics, so it is all the more disappointing that – that for the third time during the coalition government - it appears to have fallen victim to those pressures.
Government commitment must be maintained
“Of course, what is of paramount importance is that the UK meets and maintains its historic commitment to give 0.7 per cent of national income on aid to the poorest communities in the world, and persuades other countries around the world to follow suit. And the UK government must be praised for hitting that target this year.
"But the legislation remains vital in order to cement that commitment for future generations, and we will therefore continue to push for it to be put into law as this session unfolds, and for the rest of this Parliament.
Aid transforms lives
“In the whole of this debate, we must never forget the transformative role that well-targeted aid can play in people’s lives, for example, giving people access to the basic needs of life like safe water and sanitation as well as shifting the balance of power within the broken food system so that small-scale farmers have a decent chance of making a living.”
Act now. Join our Hungry for change campaign and call for empowering aid for small-scale farmers >
