Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development by when the Government are committed to achieving the UNtarget of 0.7 per cent. of national income to be spent on development assistance. [148456]John Healey: I have been asked to reply.Since 1997 the UK's level of official development assistance (oda) has increased in real terms by 93 per cent. UK oda will reach anoda/gni ratio of 0.40 per cent. in 2005-06, up from 0.33 per cent. in 2003-04, exceeding the EU target of 0.39 per cent. for memberstates, and more double the current G7 average of 0.19 per cent. The UK remains committed to the UN target of 0.7 per cent. oda/GNIand to meeting the Millennium Development Goals. To this end the Chancellor has proposed an International Finance Facility thatwould raise an additional £50 billion per year for development assistance up to 2015. Any timetable for reaching 0.7 per cent.oda/GNI will be a matter for future Parliaments.