Help the poor, not trade

I’M CONCERNED about the recently published International Development Strategy, which indicates that the focus will be less on poverty reduction and more on promoting UK interests and trade.

There are 27 references to trade in the document, but only a few on poverty reduction.

This begs the question: what is aid for in the eyes of the Government and the Foreign, commonwealth & Development office?

Most people assume aid is intended to save lives, not to further political and economic interests. Spending on aid represents only a fraction of national income so it’s vital that it’s all used to help transform the lives of the poor.

KAREN DOWNARD, Macclesfield, Cheshire.