UK one of only seven nations to hit aid target

BRITAIN spends a larger proportion of its income on foreign aid than other major Western countries, figures have shown.

It is now one of only seven countries around the world to meet the target to spend 0.7 per cent of its national income on overseas aid.

The figures were compiled by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which represents industrialised nations. The target itself was set by a United Nations resolution in 1970.

Britain’s aid budget of 0.7 per cent of GDP recorded in 2016 is more than double the average proportion of 0.32 per cent seen across the OECD.

And it is far higher than the levels given by countries such as France and Australia.

The aid target – made law by David Cameron and backed by Theresa May – has seen spending soar to £13.4billion.

Many Tory backbenchers believe the target should be scrapped to allow more money to go to domestic priorities such as social care.

The OECD figures, published yesterday, reveal that Britain is now sixth-equal in the aid league table. Top is the United Arab Emirates at 1.21 per cent, followed closely by Norway on 1.12 per cent. Luxembourg spends 1 per cent of national income on aid, followed by Sweden at 0.94 per cent and Denmark at 0.75 per cent. Britain ties with Germany, with both spending 0.7 per cent.

In comparison, Australia spends just 0.27 per cent of its national income on aid, Italy gives 0.28 per cent, and France spends only 0.38 per cent.

While the United States is the world’s largest aid donor in terms of cash, what it does donate works out at just 0.19 per cent of its national income.

The OECD figures illustrate just how far Britain has gone to increase its aid budget.

Our 0.7 per cent on overseas development compares to the 0.36 per cent we gave in 2007.

France, in comparison, now spends exactly the same proportion as it did in 2007, while countries such as the Netherlands and Australia have cut their aid budgets.

Official figures released in November showed British aid spending reached £13.4billion in 2016, up £1.3billion on the year before.

The proportion funnelled through the EU rose by £177million to £1.5billion, despite Priti Patel warning when she was international development secretary that the UK does not ‘have any oversight’ into how Brussels spends the money.

Despite pledges to end aid to India, last year £92.6million was spent by Whitehall officials on projects there. The amount given to China jumped by £2.6million to £46.9million.

The Department for International Development, which distributes aid, did not comment on the OECD figures last night.

Last month the Daily Mail revealed that UK aid to corrupt countries soared by 10 per cent in 2016. Almost £1.39billion was sent to the world’s 20 most crooked states – up from £1.26billion in 2015 – and was handed over despite warnings that it could be wasted, stolen or even handed to terrorists.

Dfid said it operates a ‘zerotolerance’ approach to corruption, but critics warn that it is wrong to increase aid to countries where there is a clear risk of it being misused.

Spending soared to £13.4billion