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17/05/2011
Fox Challenges PM On Overseas Aid
UK Defence Secretary Liam Fox has challenged the Prime Minister's plans to enshrine in law the Government's spending pledge on overseas aid.
According to the Times, Dr Fox challenged the plan in a letter to David Cameron which was leaked to the paper.
In the letter, Dr Fox argued that creating a statutory requirement to spend 0.7% on overseas aid from 2013 could leave the Government open to legal challenges, as well as affect its ability to influence where and how the money was spent.
The letter said that Dr Fox had discussed the issue both with international Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell and Foreign Secretary William Hague, but stressed that he could not support the proposal in its current form.
He said: "The bill could limit HMG's (Her Majesty's Government) ability to change its mind about the pace at which it reaches the target in order to direct more resources toward other activities or programmes rather than aid."
A source close to Dr Fox reportedly told the Times that the Defence Secretary was not opposed to the level of the target, but "simply how best to reflect this in law".
A Downing Street spokesman said: "We are fully committed to enacting the 0.7% commitment into law, in line with the Coalition agreement."
(KMcA/BMcC)
According to the Times, Dr Fox challenged the plan in a letter to David Cameron which was leaked to the paper.
In the letter, Dr Fox argued that creating a statutory requirement to spend 0.7% on overseas aid from 2013 could leave the Government open to legal challenges, as well as affect its ability to influence where and how the money was spent.
The letter said that Dr Fox had discussed the issue both with international Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell and Foreign Secretary William Hague, but stressed that he could not support the proposal in its current form.
He said: "The bill could limit HMG's (Her Majesty's Government) ability to change its mind about the pace at which it reaches the target in order to direct more resources toward other activities or programmes rather than aid."
A source close to Dr Fox reportedly told the Times that the Defence Secretary was not opposed to the level of the target, but "simply how best to reflect this in law".
A Downing Street spokesman said: "We are fully committed to enacting the 0.7% commitment into law, in line with the Coalition agreement."
(KMcA/BMcC)
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