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Viewpoint: Taking an active part

  • Sister Gillian Price

Pope John XXIII wrote the encyclical, 'Pacem in Terris' (Peace on earth) in 1963 when the world was in the middle of a crisis with the escalating threat of nuclear war. Today in the middle of another world crisis when millions feel their rights are being eroded his words seem particularly pertinent. Pope John wrote,

'The dignity of the human person involves the right to take an active part in public affairs and to contribute one's part to the common good of the citizens.'

UK aid helps to alleviate poverty and contributes to sustainable development around the world. It tackles the global challenges of our time - poverty, disease and humanitarian emergencies. Much has been achieved, but when 700 million people still live in extreme poverty more still needs to be done and the global pandemic of Covid-19 is plunging more and more people into extreme poverty. But now the UK Government is expected to bring forward a proposal which puts at risk the effectiveness of UK aid, by reducing the ability of MPs to scrutinise how aid is spent.

UK aid is funded by taxes, accounting for 0.7% of the UK's Gross National Income. The Government has committed to keeping their manifesto commitment of spending 0.7% of GNI on international development, but this week there were rumours that some in Government would like to reduce the 0.7 % commitment or redefine the way the money is spent. At a time of a global pandemic it is more important than ever that there is proper scrutiny by parliament to ensure that every penny is spent wisely on ending poverty.

In the House of Commons, 'Select Committees', made up of cross-party groups of MPs, scrutinise the work of Government departments. Since 1997, the International Development Committee has examined the spending on development and the work of the Department for International Development (DFID), holding inquiries and making recommendations. DFID's merger with the Foreign Office to create the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has meant that new parliamentary arrangements are needed to scrutinise its work. The Government has announced that it wants to scrap the International Development Committee and hand oversight of aid spending to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

The Foreign Affairs Select Committee does not have the capacity or expertise to take on this work on top of its foreign policy portfolio. However, a new committee is being proposed by a cross-party group of MPs to scrutinise aid spending by all Government Departments. This will be a crucial way for MPs to make sure our aid budget is transparent, an effective use of taxpayers' money, and help ensure UK aid is focused on reducing poverty. It is important that Parliament be able to properly hold the Government to account.

The Government has stated that a vote on the new arrangements in the House of Commons (expected this side of Christmas), will be a 'free vote' meaning that MPs can vote according to their own conscience and not official party policy.

In his homily for the last Sunday's World Day of the Poor (Sunday 15th November) Pope Francis spoke of the servant who buried his talent for fear. "He did nothing wrong!" said Pope Francis, "But he did nothing good either". It reminded me of President Kennedys' quote at his inauguration ceremony, 'The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing' echoing John Stuart Mill who in 1867 said, "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing."

57 years after 'Pacem in Terris' Pope Francis is of the opinion that as Catholics we have a duty to hold Government to account for their actions, in fact in 2013 at a daily Mass homily he said:

"A good Catholic meddles in politics, offering the best of himself, so that those who govern can govern."

In order 'that those who govern can govern' I would invite you to heed Pope Francis' words and contact your MP as a matter of urgency by email or phone, informing them of the proposed vote and asking them to vote for the new committee when a Motion is proposed to the House.

For more information see: www.results.org.uk/news/ask-your-mp-vote-effective-uk-aid



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