Following a number of emails from constituents, Lucy Allan MP has set out the Government's position on both foreign aid and the planned increase in defence spending.
The 2015 International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015 explicitly makes provision for a reduction in the aid budget, provided that a statement is made to the House explaining why. This was done by the Chancellor as part of the spending review, where he explained to Parliament the reasons behind reducing the 0.7% commitment in light of the economic impact of coronavirus.
According to the 2015 Act, the three reasons that a Government may reduce the 0.7% commitment to aid are:
(a) economic circumstances and, in particular, any substantial change in gross national income;
(b) fiscal circumstances and, in particular, the likely impact of meeting the target on taxation, public spending and public borrowing;
(c) circumstances arising outside the United Kingdom.
The full text of the legislation is available online here.
The act contains provisions to review the 0.7% commitment in times of economic upheaval – this is was envisioned when the law was written. The reduction from 0.7% to 0.5% is temporary and the Chancellor has committed to returning to 0.7% as soon as the economic circumstances allow.
It is important to note that the UK will spend more than £10 billion next year to fight poverty, tackle climate change, support girls' education, resolve conflicts and improve global health. This is in addition to our role as a world leader on global health, building on the £1.6 billion we have already committed to GAVI, the global vaccine alliance. The Government will also maintain its commitment to double International Climate Finance, vital to maintaining our ambitions in this area as we host COP26. Finally, the UK will be the second most generous aid spender in the G7, with the third largest diplomatic network in the world.
Additionally, to defend the UK, the Government has also announced that it will seek to build and store more Trident nuclear weapons. The fundamental purpose of our nuclear weapons is to preserve peace, prevent coercion and deter aggression. A minimum, credible, independent nuclear deterrent assigned to the defence of NATO, remains essential in order to guarantee our security and that of our Allies.
The UK remains deeply committed to our collective long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons, under the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Until then, we must hold the minimum number of nuclear warheads necessary to maintain a credible nuclear deterrent.
In 2010, the Government stated an intent to reduce our overall nuclear warhead stockpile ceiling from not more than 225 to not more than 180 by the mid-2020s. However, in recognition of the evolving security environment, including the developing range of technological and doctrinal threats, this is no longer possible, and the UK will move to an overall nuclear weapon stockpile of no more than 260 warheads.
The Government’s position on Trident as the UK’s continuous at sea nuclear deterrent was overwhelmingly supported by Parliament in 2016. This vote was part of a wider programme to maintain the UK’s nuclear deterrent beyond the early 2030s, which will see the introduction of four Dreadnought Class ballistic missile submarines to replace the current four Vanguard submarines - securing thousands of highly skilled engineering jobs in the UK.
