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Barrett backs Commons Committee on failure of EU aid

John Barrett, Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West and member of the International Development Select Committee, today backed the report of the Public Accounts Committee which criticised the way EU development aid is distributed.

In a statement, John Barrett said:

"The European Union has clearly failed to target aid to those who need it most. With very few EU countries meeting or even close to meeting the United Nations target of 0.7% of GNP overseas aid spending, resources are scarce and should be directed to those in extreme poverty. Yet all too often, the E.U. has instead channelled aid to countries closer to its doorstep in Northern Africa and Eastern Europe.

"With 25% of the UK Government's overseas aid budget spent through the European Union, people in the UK deserve to see the money, raised through their taxes, spent efficiently and effectively.

"The EU must now urgently reform their aid budget, increasing allocation to social services like health and education to help meet the basic needs of the world poorest people. The EU must be obsessed with poverty alleviation, otherwise the efforts being made will never make the impact which I and every else concerned with those in the developing world, wish to see."

ENDS