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An investment hand in the UK has spent more than £ 7 million in international development on business class flights in the last two years, according to newly discovered data.
British International Investment (BII), which receives the financing of taxpayers and is owned by Foreign officeThey spent £ 3.5 million on business class flights for staff 2024 and £ 3.7 million in the previous year, the Government’s answers show the requests for freedom of informing The Financial Times.
This included more than 1,100 business class flights during 2024, including more than 65 return flights that cost more than £ 6,000 for a map.
According to the annual BII accounts, the number of employees paid more than £ 200,000 increased to a fifth during 2023, last year for which the figures are available. This pushed more than a quarter of its 506 staff into this salary carrier. In the same year, the number of staff paid more than £ 400,000 jumped from one to five.
The review of BII’s business class travel expenses and a large salary increase comes with pressure on the budget for assistance in the UK, while the department is required to be sought Identify potential cuts as part of the consumption examination.
MPs and campaigns criticized consumption by the organizationwho invests in Asia, Africa and Caribbean to try to fight Development challenges supporting the growth and innovation of the private sector.
Sarah champion, chairman of the International House Development Committee, said: “I am worried about seeing an organization funded by taxpayers to alleviate poverty dealing with high accounts and probably lavish expenses.”
The working deputy added that “at a time when the Government departments face serious financial challenges, it should be an case of why it offers such generous wages.”
The Committee currently performs an investigation into a value for money “illuminating [that] The UK has to bring an impact on every kilogram that consumes help, ”Champion said.
Gideon Rabinowitz, Director of Politics and Proponment in Bond, UK for NGOs, said: “It is shocking to be spent limited by limited assistance in the UK on luxury flights and inflated wages while out [official development assistance] Budgets are reduced around the world. “
He pointed out that Bond “long questioned whether it was a real influence in low -income countries and fragile countries,” until the financing of the award -based development. “
Bii said that in a “stable state” he could be “fully self -financing”, demanding a supplementation of capital from the Government only to expand his activities.
British International Partnerships – Parental Unit BII within Foreign Affairs – should receive £ 1.15 million this year from the Government’s budget for help, which is expected to go to BII.
BII has partnerships with more than 1,500 companies, and has invested in ports and renewable energy facilities as well as companies like medical companies. Like other development funding institutions, he was facing criticism because he did not focus enough to deal with poverty.
The International Development Report of 2023 emphasized BII’s “great concentration of investment in mid-income countries, which he warned that” it seems that it has not been targeted at the poorest and least marginalized people. “
Andrew Mitchell, Minister of Development towards the previous conservative government, replied to the investigation by revealing a new goal for half the annual BII annual budget to head to the poorest and worst countries by the end of the decade.
The report also called on the Office for External, Communion and Development to increase its control over the BII and occupy a place that did not vote on the BII Committee. The FCDO rejected the last proposal, saying that he did not believe that he would improve the BII -the management arrangements or surpassed the accompanying risks.
BII said the organization takes the value of taxpayers for money “extremely serious”.
He added: “Over the past decade, BII brought around £ 1.3 billion on behalf of the UK taxpayer, supporting millions of people living in some of the most unfavorable places in the world. Our operational costs represent only 1.5 percent of our portfolio obligations, which are a total of £ 9.3 billion.
“The level of compensation is set to allow employment and retaining individuals with technical skills and experience that enables the realization of their mission. Employees receive more successful payment only if we fulfill their impact goals and have brought a financial return for a taxpayer in the UK. “
Commenting on flight consumption, BII said: “Employees fly in flights on flights on a long way to ensure that they can work effectively after their trip.”
FCDO said: “He is an operational independent of the Government of the United Kingdom, and his operational costs are covered by a profit he has made in his investment. This ensures that BII brings good value for money for a taxpayer in the UK. “
