Committee Chair: Government should pause “hasty” aid cuts
26 March 2025
The Chair of the cross-party International Development Committee Chair, Sarah Champion, has responded to the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Spring Statement today.
The Chancellor reaffirmed the Government’s commitment, announced in February, to fund extra defence spending through cuts to the overseas aid budget.
According to Government calculations, reductions in aid are expected to save:
- £500 million in 2025/26
- £4.8 billion in 2026/27
- £6.5 billion in 2027/28
Chair comment
Sarah Champion, Chair of the International Development Committee, said:
“Today’s statement confirms not only that the Government is committed to reducing aid but that they will do so rapidly. Cuts are already kicking in and will only become more brutal from 2026/27.
Will teams responsible for delivering aid be able to assess the impact of cuts? Which programmes will be cut, and which groups of people will be left to pick up the pieces?
Cutting aid to the world’s poorest should not be taken lightly. If the Government is committed to this change, I urge it to take more time to consider the full ramifications of dangerously hasty cuts.”
Further information
Image: House of Commons/Laurie Noble