The fat cats of foreign aid: Ministers 'to target consultants paid £500m by the taxpayer'

[dipsydoodle]

An emergency audit was opened last night into revelations that ‘poverty barons’ are making millions in consultancy fees from the foreign aid budget.

Nearly £500million was paid out last year to firms that work on Third World programmes. Some give their directors seven-figure salaries.

The probe was launched by Justine Greening, who was appointed International Development Secretary against her will in David Cameron’s Cabinet reshuffle this month.

Miss Greening, who is an accountant by training, has demanded a rapid explanation of apparently extravagant spending and is said to be going through the Department for International Development’s budget ‘line by line’.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2204239/The-fat-cats-foreign-aid-Ministers-target-consultants-paid-500m-taxpayer.html#ixzz26ibC1STY

[xchrom]

1. And the poor are still poor. Nt

[Jeneral2885]

2. In case you are wondering

this is not based on any political party. Labour, Conservative or Lib Dem, aid consultants are always there.

[Nihil]

3. At that sort of rate, I'm not surprised.

>> Some give their directors seven-figure salaries.

[fedsron2us]

4. Including Adam Smith International

who apparently receive UK taxpayers money to 'encourage the free market in Nepal'.

Would not it be simpler just to throw the cash from a helicopter to the poor.

[LeftishBrit]

5. Surely receiving taxpayers' money to support the free market is a bit of contradiction in terms?

[tjwmason]

6. Have you ever read anything from the Adam Smith Institute?

Contradiction in terms is the least of their worries...the good Kirkaldy economist and moral philosopher is probably spinning in his grave at the purloining of his name.

[T_i_B]

7. You mean that right-wing think tanks are stinking hypocrites?

Now that's a massive surprise!

[Jeneral2885]

8. Adam Smith International

is neoliberal by heart. Adam Smith was not.