§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will consider targeting aid to countries which renounce the arms trade.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydWe target aid on countries which need it and can use it effectively in support of sound policies for economic and social development and the reduction of poverty. Most of our bilateral aid goes to countries with which we have close historical ties. It is for each country to assess and provide for its own legitimate defence needs.
The United Kingdom actively supports the increased emphasis placed by the International Monetary Fund and the World bank on analysing the implications for economic and social development of the composition of public expenditure. We consider the setting of an appropriate level of military expenditure to be an important part of good government. It is one of the factors we take into account when deciding our allocations of bilateral aid.