Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of her Department's budget was spent inthe world's poorest countries in the last financial year. [119359]Clare Short: Our Government have committed themselves to increase the focus of our aid spending on the poorest people and thepoorest countries. The proportion of our country programmes spent in Low Income Countries in the last financial year rose to 71 percent. from 63.2 per cent. the previous year. We are on course to reach a proportion of around 80 per cent. this year.