Future of UK Aid and Development Assistance Evidence Session

The International Development Committee invites you to join a live oral evidence session at Kings College London as part of its inquiry on the Future of UK Aid and Development Assistance.

The role of the International Development Committee is to examine issues and make recommendations to improve policy.

To do this, the Committee runs inquiries on specific topics. It gathers evidence from experts, organisations, and members of the public. The Committee uses this information to publish reports with suggestions for the Government. The Government does not have to accept these suggestions, but it must respond and explain its position.

In October 2025 the International Development Committee launched its inquiry on the Future of UK aid and international development. The inquiry examines how the UK can continue to deliver high impact international aid and development assistance in the face of a 40% budget cut as the Government seeks to fund increased defence spending in the name of national security.

The international development budget will be cut from 0.5% of the UK’s Gross National Income – the equivalent total income of people and businesses in the UK – to 0.3% in 2027. The effect of this is expected to be a £15.4bn budget being reduced to £9.2bn, not all of which will be spent abroad.

The Committee has already published over 195 pieces of written evidence for the inquiry and heard from experts on the impact of restructuring to the main delivery department (the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office) on its ability to deliver its ODA commitments.

This will be a fascinating opportunity to hear perspectives on the future of aid from experts, as well as to observe the Committee’s scrutiny work first hand.

In answering the question of how the UK can continue to deliver high impact international aid, the Committee will hear from prominent thought leaders with in-depth understanding of the challenges facing lower income countries.

The session will feature evidence from two expert panels each lasting for one hour. The first will bring together younger voices and next-generation leaders offering perspectives on thematic issues that could be affected by reductions in the international development budget. They will talk about what they see as key opportunities for the UK to support grassroots actions in a world of diminishing aid budgets.

The second will feature experts on the public perception of aid in the UK. It will consider the level of confidence in ODA decision making and spending and examine which messages are best received by the public.

Members have already heard from academic experts, civil society groups, businesses and NGOs. This session will expand the range of voices members hear from. This will inform the conclusions and recommendations the Committee makes to Government in its report.

Panel one:

• Sapphire Alexander, Founder of Caribbean Feminist
• Chido Govera, Founder of Future of Hope Foundation
• Finian Ali, Youth Coordinator at Scaling Up Nutrition Network

Panel two:

• Bel Trew, Chief International Correspondent, The Independent
• Luke Tryl, Executive Director, UK, More in Common
• Jennifer Hudson, Director, Development Engagement Lab

What You Can Expect From the Event

Please be aware that the session will be streamed with a minimal delay on parliamentlive.tv and clips may be made for the Committee’s social media channels. Please arrive at least 30 minutes before the event to allow time for security checks and registration. You will need to bring a valid photo ID. The session will start promptly at 2:00 PM and will run until 4:00 PM without a break.

Refreshments will be provided after the session, starting at 4:00 PM, offering a great opportunity to discuss the inquiry's findings and network with other attendees.

Note: King's opperates an overbooking policy, due to dropout rates on the day and seats will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Therefore, arrive early to avoid disappointment on the day.

We would like to make participants aware that there is a chance that the venue may need to change at short notice. This event is subject to Parliamentary business. If Members are required in Parliament, the venue may change to Westminster to ensure their ability to participate. Should this be necessary, we will communicate the revised venue to all participants.

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