This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament
Petition Do not reduce the overseas aid budget (from 0.7% GDP)
There are suggestions that the Government is planning to reduce its commitment to giving 0.7% of GDP as overseas aid. We want to keep this foreign aid commitment, and maintain this country's proud record in helping the world's poor.
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Helping the world's poor is an ethical imperative for a relatively rich country that consumes more than its share of the world's resources - it should continue to give some of these to help the development of the poorest - in both practical and monetary ways. All the world's religions and indeed humanists stress the ethical importance of this.
Furthermore, this is in the long term interest of the UK. Not addressing these problems will rebound back to the UK - we are a part of the world.
This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months
Related activity
Government responds to public petition on cuts to the aid budget
We're writing to let you know that the Government has responded to a public (paper) petition about cuts to the aid budget, presented to the House of Commons by David Linden MP, on behalf of residents of the constituency of Glasgow East.
The petition urges the Government to urgently reverse cuts to the aid budget.
You can read the petition and the Government's response here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-01-25/debates/21012525000021/ReversingCutsToTheAidBudget
You can find out more about public (paper) petitions here: https://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/sign-a-petition/paper-petitions/
MPs question Government on overseas aid spending
On Monday 26 April, MPs asked the Government about planned reductions in the UK's spending on overseas aid, as a result of the Government's decision to temporarily lower the official development assistance (ODA) target from 0.7% of national income to 0.5%.
You can watch the question and the Government's response on Parliament TV:
https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/68bb73ca-0d19-44f1-94a3-e79a00fcffcd?in=16:31:45&out=17:34:33
You can read the question and the Government's response on the Hansard website:
https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-04-26/debates/D74E1751-705F-469B-9266-83FC1BB0EA68/ODABudget
Why was the question asked?
If an urgent or important matter arises which an MP believes requires an immediate answer from a government minister, they may apply to ask an urgent question.
Find out more about Urgent Questions here:
https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/business/urgent-questions/
MPs debate the 0.7% official development assistance target
On Tuesday 8 June there was an 'emergency debate' on the 0.7% official development assistance target.
An emergency debate is a debate called at short notice in the House of Commons on a matter that should have urgent consideration. Emergency debates allow MPs to debate important issues, however they do not end in a vote nor can they change the law.
Watch the debate: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/0aba1ed3-335d-4746-a65c-886b8adac067?in=14:55:42
Read a transcript of the debate: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-06-08/debates/E099C412-D101-4AE9-B425-F0C3B9DAAE18/07OfficialDevelopmentAssistanceTarget
Find out more about how Parliamentary debates work: https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/business/debates/