User engagement strategy

The Department of International Development is committed to increasing the transparency of information on the use of UK and other global aid. In addition to enhancing accountability the data also serve as important planning tools for partner developing country governments. This means that there is wide global user base.

National Statistics on UK aid flows are published in the annual volume Statistics on International Development (SID) form an important part of this overarching commitment.

A sub-set of UK aid statistics are also published under the International Development (Reporting and Transparency) Act 2006 as part of DFID’s annual reports to Parliament.

Information on UK aid statistics is also via the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) website which also provides data on global and other donor flows including detailed data on individual aid projects and programmes. DFID itself publishes detailed project level information on its own programme via its Project Information Database. The data here represent the raw data which underpin the aggregate data provided via SID and in other publications.

We will help customers and users to understand and make the best possible use of our products by publishing supporting, background, or educational information and material. This material will be placed within the relevant publications as appropriate.  We also encourage users to make use of appropriate contact e-mail addresses and telephone numbers listed on the publications and website.

To maintain the relevance of its statistical activities DFID uses a variety of ongoing mechanisms to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of all our users

Within DFID

Within DFID, user views were considered in the development of a new management information system – ARIES - which was launched in 2007 and is the main administrative source of statistics on UK aid volumes. The new system adopted a revised classification system to maintain the relevance of the statistics within the UK and ensure consistency with international requirements. User needs and the continued need for international harmonisation will be incorporated in subsequent updates to the system.

With wider government and Parliament

DFID is also working HM Treasury and other key policy makers to improve the accessibility and transparency of the statistics particularly in relation to the components of UK aid flows that are not attributable to DFID and outside the main ARIES system.

We also continue to ensure that we meet the statutory requirements of the International Development (Reporting and Transparency) Act 2006 and work with our primary scrutiny body the International Development Committee, NAO and others to further enhance understanding.

With other donors and partner governments:

Since 2008 the UK has been fully compliant with the DAC’s new CRS++ reporting standard. This standard is the single most important user requirement for UK aid statistics. The UK is represented on the DAC Working Party on Statistics which meets twice a year to approve changes to the reporting directives and to ensure that the policy needs of all donors are being met. DFID Statisticians liaise with relevant colleagues in DFID and the wider stakeholder community prior to these meetings to ensure that UK policy needs are represented.

In 2008 the UK also led the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), designed to deliver a step shift in global public availability and accessibility on information on aid flows, building on the detailed information already published by the OECD. We are now implementing the IATI proposals for greater transparency which will make more data available to meet the needs of partner governments and other donors.