By BBC NEWS - BBC NEWS WEBSITE
Added: Thu, 03 Feb 2011 12:23:13 UTC

Thanks to Ode2Hitch, Barty77 and thatgingerscouser for the link.

MPs have asked ministers to explain why £1.85m ($3m) from the international development budget was spent on the Pope's UK visit in September.

They queried the "surprising" transfer from the Department for International Development to the Foreign Office.

Ministers should explain what the money was spent on "and how it tallies with our commitments on overseas aid".

The Pope's four-day visit was estimated to cost departments £10m

Dfid said the cash would not affect overseas aid spending as it was taken from its "running costs" budget.

This part of the department's budget, used to pay for staffing and administration costs, is not ringfenced from spending cuts unlike core overseas development aid which is protected.

The coalition has committed to giving 0.7% of gross national income as international aid by 2013 but Labour is questioning whether they will fulfil this.

Annual accounts Pope Benedict's four-day visit in September was estimated at the time to have cost Whitehall departments £10m. Roman Catholic churchgoers also contributed to the costs of the visit.

MPs on the international development select committee said they were surprised to discover the transfer of £1.85m while examining Dfid's annual accounts, money the committee said was "supposed to be for overseas development aid".

"Many people will be as surprised as we were to discover that UK aid money was used to fund the Pope's visit last year," he said.

"Ministers need to explain exactly what this was spent on and how it tallies with our commitments on overseas aid."

[...]

A Dfid spokesman said the department was one of several which part-funded the Pope's visit.

He added: "Our contribution recognised the Catholic Church's role as a major provider of health and education services in developing countries.

"This money does not constitute official development assistance and is therefore additional to the coalition government's historic commitment to meet the 0.7% UN aid target from 2013.

Read full article here

TAGGED: HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS, POPE