Last week, Baroness Chapman, minister for international development and Africa, gave evidence to the International Development Committee on the future of UK aid, as part of its ongoing inquiry. The Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) works to improve the quality of UK development assistance through robust, independent scrutiny. The proposal has been heavily criticised by those working in international aid, and in Westminster. “As the UK aid budget shrinks, the British taxpayer has the right to see where UK aid is spent. ICAI, as the independent mechanism holding the government to account in spending UK aid effectively and transparently, is more important than ever.