Policy background
Section 15 of the 1999 Act set a £1,500 million limit to the overall amount of government financial assistance that can be provided to CDC and its associated companies. That limit was reached in 2015. Raising the limit on government financial assistance that can be provided to CDC will enable the Secretary of State to accelerate CDC’s growth so that it can play a fuller role in the delivery of the UK’s international development objectives. An expanded CDC is a key vehicle for the delivery of DFID’s economic development work, which will help developing countries build prosperous economies that create jobs and lift people out of poverty and is a core element of the UK’s Aid Strategy.