DFID’s support to capital projects in Montserrat

Montserrat, one of the UK’s overseas territories, suffered devastating volcanic eruptions from 1995. This review assesses how the UK government manages its aid to Montserrat, with a particular focus on DFID’s capital investment projects.

Score: Amber/Red
  1. Status: Completed
  2. Published: 16 July 2013
  3. Type: Other
  4. Subject: Country focus, Trade and economic development
  5. Assessment: Amber/Red
  6. Location: Montserrat
  7. Lead commissioner: Diana Good

Summary

Montserrat is one of 14 British overseas territories. The UK government reaffirmed its responsibilities to overseas territories in 2012 and committed to providing reasonable assistance and to supporting developments which will reduce aid dependency. In the five financial years between 2007-8 and 2011-12, the Department for International Development (DFID) has spent £281 million on support to the Overseas Territories (OTs). Montserrat was the second-largest recipient after St Helena. DFID expects to provide aid of over £24 million each year to Montserrat from 2012-13 to 2014-15.

In this review, we examine how the UK government manages its aid to Montserrat as part of its support to the British overseas territories. In particular, we evaluate DFID’s arrangements for capital investment.

As a result of our findings this review is marked amber-red and made four recommendations.

Timeline

Review publication

Published 16 July 2013

Government response

Published 9 August 2013

ICAI follow-up

Published 18 June 2015