MPs Welcome Government's Positive Response to Report on Infrastructure

The MPs on the International Development Committee welcomed the Government’s positive response which has agreed with the majority of the Committee’s proposals. In particular the Committee was pleased to note the Department for International Development’s (DFID’s) decision to reinstate a £1.5 million payment to the Global Road Safety Facility.* The response also agrees to another of the Committee’s key recommendations, to publish a position paper on infrastructure and better communicate its work on the sector.

Malcolm Bruce MP, Chair of the International Development Committee, said:

“We welcome the Government’s positive response to our report on infrastructure. We are especially pleased that the Government has listened to our request that it reinstate the £1.5 million payment that was pledged in 2009—then subsequently withdrawn—to the Global Road Safety Facility. DFID claims to place a high priority on road safety in developing countries: it is only right that the Department makes some direct funding to the cause.“

“We were also pleased to see that DFID has agreed to raise the profile of its work on infrastructure. The commitment to publish a position paper on infrastructure in the coming months is particularly welcome. ”

“Finally, we were pleased to hear that, in response to our recommendation, DFID will increase its funding of the Africa Community Access Programme (AFCAP) from £7.5 million to £10.5 million. This will allow AFCAP to increase its work on reducing transport costs and building appropriate roads in rural Africa.”

NOTES:
*DFID has allocated £1 million to the GRSF. It will consider a further £0.5 million allocation “contingent on the facility attracting finance from other sources and providing evidence of results.” These funds will be allocated over a three year period.