Overseas Aid donation must be 'balanced'

The Chief Minister has welcomed the Government's renewed commitment to overseas aid but says that must be balanced with domestic needs.

In ten years the Overseas Aid Budget has increased more than twentyfold, from almost £91,000 in 1997/98 to its current level of £2.2 million and will rise to £8.4 million by 2015.

But that's still well short of the UN-recommended 0.7% of gross Government income, which would require around £33 million to be given.

Mr Brown says we've got to be realistic about such targets (audio file attached):