International Development Committee

Scrutinising UK international development policy and the work of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the International Development Committee holds the government to account on aid spending, multilateral partnerships, and humanitarian response. Operating as a House of Commons select committee, it takes oral evidence from ministers, officials, and external witnesses to examine how the UK deploys development resources across regions and thematic priorities. Recent inquiries reflect the committee's dual focus on climate finance and crisis response: it has investigated the UK's international climate finance commitments ahead of the 2026 spending review, examined locally led adaptation approaches, and scrutinised development partnerships in Nigeria and Jamaica. The committee has also conducted urgent inquiries into humanitarian crises in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, including questions around aid delivery amid mineral extraction concerns, and explored development priorities in post-Assad Syria. In March 2026 it received evidence on FCDO aid reform and multilateral strategy, establishing how departmental restructuring affects the delivery of UK development objectives. These sessions indicate the committee's emphasis on linking climate action, bilateral partnerships, and emergency response within a coherent development framework.