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Isle Of Wight MP "Concerned" By Foreign Aid Budget Cuts

The Isle of Wight's MP admits he is "concerned" by the Government's decision to cut the foreign aid budget.

Bob Seely says he accepts the UK is in "unique circumstances" but has questioned the Chancellor's Spending Review announcement today (Wednesday).

Speaking in the House of Commons, Rishi Sunak revealed plans to lower the level of foreign aid being provided by Government.

Currently, 0.7% of national income is spent on overseas aid. This includes humanitarian aid or crisis relief, as well money given to multi-lateral organisations such as the United Nations, to name a few examples.

Mr Sunak wants to reduce the level to 0.5%. He says that "sticking rigidly to spending 0.7% of our national income on overseas aid" is "difficult to justify", "especially when we’re seeing the highest peacetime levels of borrowing on record".

Mr Seely called for a "compromise that allows us to keep the headline total of 0.7%".

He said:

"Like others, I’m concerned about the aid cut, although clearly we are in unique circumstances. I’d prefer to see the goal of 0.7 % kept, but to allow some adjustment of the definition of aid for a minority proportion of the budget."

The 0.7% target is written into law.

The Government will need to pass new legislation for the cut to be approved.

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