Speeches by Rushworth.

“That is all right. I am really just asking you whether, from the experience of Palladium, you feel that the FCDO has an effective strategy for working through private sector contractors.”

“In your experience, comparing working with DFID before the merger and FCDA since, how has it impacted the relationship between you and the UK Government?”

“Has it had an impact on the amount of business that comes your way?”

“Can I just ask you about the degree to which you feel that there is competition in this space in bidding for contracts because it seems that Palladium has a very large share of the market.”

“Are you allowed to say how high that is?”

“In your experience, comparing working with DFID before the merger and FCDA since, how has it impacted the relationship between you and the UK Government?”

“That is all right. I am really just asking you whether, from the experience of Palladium, you feel that the FCDO has an effective strategy for working through private sector contractors.”

“That was my next question: do you think it is cost-effective? I was just looking at Mannion Daniels and Palladium as two major FCDO contractors and the dividends that they pay to shareholders and so on. I am wondering about your view on cost-effectiveness.”

“I will turn to Sinead. Does the FCDO have an effective strategy for how it works in and through private contractors?”

“The example you are giving is very much a third party as an on-the-ground actor, but where you have the big players taking more of the management functions of the FCDO, do you see any risk that that undermines in-house capacity?”

“What are the circumstances where you think it would be more effective for the FCDO to engage private contractors rather than develop capability in-house?”

“Are you allowed to say how high that is?”

“That was my next question: do you think it is cost-effective? I was just looking at Mannion Daniels and Palladium as two major FCDO contractors and the dividends that they pay to shareholders and so on. I am wondering about your view on cost-effectiveness.”

“First, Brendan, do you think that spending via contractors is a necessary part of international development?”

“I saw Mark and Alex’s eyes twitch with this question. If you do not mind, Chair, I think we had better let them answer as well.”

“I appreciate your response, but before we move on can I ask a slightly more subversive question? In your lived experience of seeing development projects pan out on the ground, do you feel that this huge framework we have built up around the evaluation of value for money is leading to us funding projects that deliver it…”

“Thank you for that. Your answer was very comprehensive and perfectly reflected my own experience; I have spent more of my life on your side of this relationship. You have segued perfectly into my next follow-up question, which is about inclusiveness. There is no doubt that a lot of people around the world will say that…”

“I am speaking as somebody who has received ODA funding. Thinking about the FCDO’s approach to value for money, how effective do you feel the FCDO has been in communicating its approach to value for money, particularly with regard to how you would have to monitor and evaluate it?”

“First, Brendan, do you think that spending via contractors is a necessary part of international development?”

“Has it had an impact on the amount of business that comes your way?”