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Liam Fox challenges government overseas aid pledge Liam Fox challenges government overseas aid pledge
(about 1 hour later)
Defence Secretary Liam Fox has challenged a plan to enshrine in law the UK's promise to spend 0.7% of its gross national income on overseas aid.Defence Secretary Liam Fox has challenged a plan to enshrine in law the UK's promise to spend 0.7% of its gross national income on overseas aid.
In a letter leaked to the Times, Dr Fox says he "cannot support the proposal in its current form".In a letter leaked to the Times, Dr Fox says he "cannot support the proposal in its current form".
A source close to Dr Fox said the issue was not the level of the target but how best to reflect this in law.A source close to Dr Fox said the issue was not the level of the target but how best to reflect this in law.
Downing Street said it remained fully committed to implementing its pledge in line with the coalition agreement.Downing Street said it remained fully committed to implementing its pledge in line with the coalition agreement.
Labour said the government must "keep its word".
The BBC understands Dr Fox's letter was written to Prime Minister David Cameron about five weeks ago.The BBC understands Dr Fox's letter was written to Prime Minister David Cameron about five weeks ago.
The defence secretary said that "creating a statutory requirement to spend 0.7%" on overseas aid could lead to legal challenges and limit the government's options on where money was spent.The defence secretary said that "creating a statutory requirement to spend 0.7%" on overseas aid could lead to legal challenges and limit the government's options on where money was spent.
International aid is one of only a handful of areas, including health spending in England, being ringfenced from spending cuts over the next four years. Most other departments are seeing their budgets slashed - defence spending by 8% by 2015.International aid is one of only a handful of areas, including health spending in England, being ringfenced from spending cuts over the next four years. Most other departments are seeing their budgets slashed - defence spending by 8% by 2015.
'Considered carefully''Considered carefully'
BBC Radio 4's chief political correspondent, Norman Smith, says there will be a suspicion that Dr Fox is "irked" that more money is going on overseas projects when he is having to claw back spending at the Ministry of Defence.BBC Radio 4's chief political correspondent, Norman Smith, says there will be a suspicion that Dr Fox is "irked" that more money is going on overseas projects when he is having to claw back spending at the Ministry of Defence.
"I don't think he is in any way a lone voice within the Conservative Party," he said. "There has been a good number of raised eyebrows at why the government is spending more on overseas aid when MPs are having to explain to constituents why libraries or Sure Start centres are having to close.""I don't think he is in any way a lone voice within the Conservative Party," he said. "There has been a good number of raised eyebrows at why the government is spending more on overseas aid when MPs are having to explain to constituents why libraries or Sure Start centres are having to close."
He added that Mr Cameron would be "utterly furious" because raising the amount of overseas aid and enshrining it in law was an attempt to "detoxify" the party and show the Tories were not "mean skinflints".He added that Mr Cameron would be "utterly furious" because raising the amount of overseas aid and enshrining it in law was an attempt to "detoxify" the party and show the Tories were not "mean skinflints".
The defence secretary called on Mr Cameron to put the principles, rather than specific commitments, in law following the example set for the military covenant. In the letter, the defence secretary called on Mr Cameron to put the principles, rather than specific commitments, in law following the example set for the military covenant announced on Monday.
Dr Fox wrote: "I have considered the issue carefully, and discussed it with [International Development Secretary] Andrew [Mitchell] and [Foreign Secretary] William Hague, but I cannot support the proposal in its current form.Dr Fox wrote: "I have considered the issue carefully, and discussed it with [International Development Secretary] Andrew [Mitchell] and [Foreign Secretary] William Hague, but I cannot support the proposal in its current form.
"In 2009 the proportion of national income spent on ODA [official development assistance] was only 0.52%."In 2009 the proportion of national income spent on ODA [official development assistance] was only 0.52%.
"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.""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 legal target, he added, would result in more "stringent" monitoring of how foreign aid is spent and this may "present risks" to the Ministry of Defence's ability to get funding for certain priority activities from the conflict pool - a fund jointly run by the MoD, Foreign Office and Department for International Development to promote conflict prevention and resolution. A legal target, he added, would result in more "stringent" monitoring of how foreign aid is spent and this may "present risks" to his ability to get funding for certain priority activities from the conflict pool - a fund jointly run by the MoD, Foreign Office and Department for International Development to promote conflict prevention and resolution.
Manifesto promise 'National interest'
The source close to Dr Fox said: "The defence secretary fully supports the principle of a 0.7% target on international aid. The issue is simply how best to reflect this in law."The source close to Dr Fox said: "The defence secretary fully supports the principle of a 0.7% target on international aid. The issue is simply how best to reflect this in law."
Senior Conservative backbencher Patrick Mercer, who is a former infantry officer in the British Army, says he has some "sympathy" for Dr Fox's position. Senior Conservative backbencher Patrick Mercer, who is a former infantry officer in the British Army, said he had some "sympathy" for Dr Fox's position - a view known to be shared by many on the right of the party.
"At a time when the armed forces are being cut and cut hard, when they're at war in Afghanistan, Pakistan and indeed in Libya, with other conflicts on the horizon, you can see why the defence secretary is concerned," he said."At a time when the armed forces are being cut and cut hard, when they're at war in Afghanistan, Pakistan and indeed in Libya, with other conflicts on the horizon, you can see why the defence secretary is concerned," he said.
Liberal Democrat MP Malcolm Bruce, who chairs the international development select committee, said Dr Fox's letter showed precisely why the commitment had to be enshrined in law. But Labour, which along with the Lib Dems also back the commitment, said the government must "keep its promise" over the issue.
"We have to deliver this commitment and hold to it," he said. "We do not believe we should resolve our economic problems, which were to some extent self-inflicted, at the expense of the poorest people in the world." "Britain's overseas aid saves lives in the developing world, but it is also in our national interest to tackle the underdevelopment which can cause conflict," said Harriet Harman, Labour deputy leader and shadow international development secretary.
He said honouring foreign aid commitments put Britain in a "position of leadership" and enabled "real influence". "This Tory manifesto promise has been reiterated by the prime minister at international forums. He must show that Britain keeps its word.
This is not the first time that a private letter from the defence secretary to the prime minister has been leaked to the press.
Ahead of last year's defence review, concerns raised by Dr Fox about proposed cuts in defence spending - which at the time he said were "unsustainable" - entered the public domain. Dr Fox criticised the leak and ordered an inquiry.
'Fully committed''Fully committed'
The promise to spend 0.7% of national income on aid by 2013 was put in the Conservative manifesto before the last general election and then repeated in the coalition agreement. Number 10 said it was a commitment that would be honoured.The promise to spend 0.7% of national income on aid by 2013 was put in the Conservative manifesto before the last general election and then repeated in the coalition agreement. Number 10 said it was a commitment that would be honoured.
A Downing Street spokesman said: "The aid allocation in the Spending Review shows our commitment to implementing our pledge to spend 0.7% of GNI [gross national income] on official development assistance from 2013.A Downing Street spokesman said: "The aid allocation in the Spending Review shows our commitment to implementing our pledge to spend 0.7% of GNI [gross national income] on official development assistance from 2013.
"We are fully committed to enacting the 0.7% commitment into law, in line with the coalition agreement.""We are fully committed to enacting the 0.7% commitment into law, in line with the coalition agreement."
The 0.7% commitment is an international aspiration that was first mooted by the United Nations in the 1970s and reaffirmed by the world's leading economies in 2002. The last Labour government agreed to meet the 2013 target and have raised concerns that the government may be reconsidering it. The 0.7% commitment is an international aspiration first mooted by the United Nations in the 1970s and reaffirmed by the world's leading economies in 2002.
This is not the first time that a private letter from the defence secretary to the prime minister has been leaked to the press. Following a review earlier this year, the government is to stop giving direct development aid to 16 countries - including China and Iraq.
Ahead of last year's defence review, concerns raised by Dr Fox about proposed cuts in defence spending - which at the time he said were "unsustainable" - entered the public domain. Dr Fox criticised the leak and ordered an inquiry. Support for India - the largest recipient of UK aid - is being frozen while ministers have said the overall budget is being more "tightly focused" on those countries most in need such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Ethiopia.
In future, levels of aid will also be decided in terms of impact and not cost - the most radical shift in policy since the Department for International Development was founded in 1997.