DFID and the UK Government

Last updated: July 2003

DFID Leadership | Other Government Departments | Reporting to Parliament and the UK people

As a UK Government department, DFID is funded by UK taxpayers and is responsible to Parliament for its activities and expenditure. Overall policy direction is provided by the government of the day through DFID's Secretary of State. What DFID can and cannot do is governed by legislation agreed by Parliament: the International Development Act, passed by Parliament in 2002, gives the Secretary of State the specific remit of promoting development and reducing poverty.

DFID is funded by the UK taxpayer and, like other Government departments, DFID funding needs to be approved by Parliament. In Parliament, the work of DFID is overseen by the International Development Select Committee.

DFID Leadership

DFID is headed by Hilary Benn MP , Secretary of State for International Development. He is assisted by a Minister of State, and a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development, Gareth R Thomas MP. DFID has a second spokesperson in the House of Lords, Baroness Crawley.

The day to day work of DFID is undertaken by civil servants, headed by the Permanent Secretary, Suma Chakrabarti, who is assisted by three Directors-General and two Non-Executive Directors who together form the Management Board.

Other Government Departments

DFID works in close collaboration with other Government departments on issues such as trade, conflict prevention, debt, the environment, and child labour. Find out more here.

Reporting to Parliament and the UK people

Around March each year, DFID produces an annual Departmental Report showing the policies it is pursuing, the work it has undertaken, and the money it has spent. Printed versions of the full document are available to buy from The Stationery Office website and from booksellers. An electronic version of the latest published report is available here. A summary version will be available by August 2003.

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