Their poor understanding of fraud and corruption

On 20 October 2011, the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons was quoted by the Mail Online as saying the Department of International Development had a ‘poor understanding’ of the scale and likelihood of aid being lost to fraud.

The Committee warned:

“Operating in high-risk environments means THE POTENTIAL FOR INCREASED RISK OF LEAKAGE THROUGH FRAUD AND CORRUPTION… Fragile and conflict-affected states… pose higher risks in terms of POOR SECURITY, DELIVERY CAPACITY, MEASUREMENT OF COSTS AND OUTCOMES AND LEAKAGE OF FUNDS THROUGH FRAUD AND CORRUPTION.”

Labour MP Margaret Hodge, Chair of the Committee, added:

“The department is going to be spending more in fragile and conflict-affected countries and THE DANGER TO THE TAXPAYER IS THAT THERE COULD BE AN INCREASE IN FRAUD AND CORRUPTION. However, THE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT EVEN GIVE US INFORMATION AS TO THE EXPECTED LEVELS OF FRAUD AND CORRUPTION AND THE ACTION THEY WERE TAKING TO MITIGATE IT. THE DEPARTMENT’S ABILITY TO MAKE INFORMED SPENDING DECISIONS IS UNDERMINED BY ITS POOR UNDERSTANDING OF LEVELS OF FRAUD AND CORRUPTION.”

David Cameron has pledged that foreign aid will rise from £8.4billion this year to £12.6billion in 2015; £479 for every household in Britain.

The aggressive and uncaring profligacy with the money of those who elect the Camerons, in the vain hope that they will, for once, put us first, is the 'biggest danger to the taxpayers.' Other than the wars they involve us in and mass immgration, that is.