Will Cameron’s aid cash target finally be axed? Controversial 0.7% guarantee that costs you billions could be scrapped in Tory manifesto

THE controversial commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of Britain’s income on foreign aid could be scrapped in the next Tory manifesto.

The aid target, brought in by David Cameron, will be included in a review of long-term spending commitments to be carried out by Chancellor Philip Hammond next year, Conservative sources confirmed.

The review will also consider whether to drop the ‘triple lock’ that protects the state pension, and whether to maintain existing spending commitments on defence, schools and the NHS.

Some Cabinet ministers are privately urging Theresa May to drop the aid target, which has seen spending on overseas development balloon to £13.3billion.

They believe aid spending should be incorporated into a new pledge to spend 3 per cent of Britain’s GDP on security, allowing it to be used to help in ‘fragile’ states, where weak government allows terrorist groups to thrive.

But this would require a change in the law unless ministers can broker an international agreement changing the rules that define what spending is counted as aid.

Currently, ministers have to use definitions of aid spending set out by the OECD think-tank, which has previously resisted British attempts to blur the line between military spending and aid.

There has been growing anger over how the aid budget is spent, with accusations that taxpayers’ money is wasted, especially amid a care crisis at home. Controversial schemes have included £5.2million paid to an Ethiopian girl band.

Last week figures from the OECD showed Britain provided £1 in every £8 of foreign aid given out by 29 major countries last year.

But Government sources indicated the Prime Minister was not yet persuaded by the case for ditching the aid target.

Mrs May defended foreign aid last month, telling staff at the Department for International Development it showed Britain was ‘will never let down those in need’.

She also believes UK aid could be a valuable bargaining chip during Brexit negotiations as the EU is struggling to cope with the number of refugees displaced by the war in Syria. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is said to have pleaded with Mrs May not to axe the UK’s aid efforts in the region during recent talks, reportedly describing them as the ‘jewel in the crown’.

But supporters of the shake-up believe it would be a vote-winner, ending public controversy about the aid budget.

Allowing aid money to be used for non-aggressive military spending would also free up cash for defence at a time when the defence budget is under pressure.

A Government spokesman said claims the aid target will be axed were ‘speculation’, adding: ‘As a global, outward-looking country we take our international responsibilities seriously and remain fully committed to them.’ But the issue will be considered in Mr Hammond’s review, which is expected to form the basis for decisions about the next Tory manifesto.

Ministers are said to have reached a decision ‘in principle’ to end the pensions triple lock, which guarantees the state pension rises in line with earnings, inflation or 2.5 per cent, whichever is the highest.

The system was introduced by the Coalition to end derisory pension increases of as little as 45p a week. But one Tory source described the cost of the guarantee as ‘massively expensive’ at a time of rising life expectancy.

Labour has said it will keep the triple lock, making it a potential election issue. But senior Tories believe Jeremy Corbyn is so unpopular with older voters that few will desert them for Labour over the issue.

‘Massively expensive’