Deep cuts to overseas aid 'will hit education and raise risk of death'

Deep cuts to overseas aid will hit children's education and increase the risk of disease and death in some African countries, according the government's own impact assessment.

- Heather Stewart Economics editor

Keir Starmer announced earlier this year that he would reduce the overseas aid budget to 0.3% of national income, down from 0.5%, to fund increased spending on defence.

The Foreign Office yesterday published its “equality impact assessment” of the policy, as MPs prepared to leave Westminster for the summer recess.

Based on spending allocations for the current year, in which the first stage of the cuts has started to be implemented, the analysis painted a stark picture of the potential effects.

The government has prioritised spending through multilateral agencies such as the World Bank's International Development Association and the global vaccines initiative, Gavi. It has also continued to fund humanitarian support.

The assessment said these and other key decisions had “protected against disproportionate impacts on equalities”. However, it highlighted the fact that bilateral projects in a string of countries faced cuts, including education and health.