Thank you for contacting me about our aid budget. 
 
The UK's aid commitment means we can be proud to be a country that not only meets its responsibilities to the world's poorest, but in doing so best serves and protects its own security and interests. Our commitments on overseas aid were part of the 2015 manifesto on which I was elected. By continuing to meet the 0.7 per cent target on overseas aid, we are keeping our promise to the electorate. 
 
Recent crises show why aid is so important for us in the UK as well as for developing countries. Whether it is helping to prevent deadly diseases like Ebola from threatening the UK, or enabling Syrian refugees and other migrants to build a life in their home region, our aid tackles the root causes of global problems that affect all of us.
 
Overseas development assistance saves lives and transforms lives. Over the last five years, UK aid has been life-saving and life-changing for millions of the poorest people around the world. Between 2011 and 2015, the Department for International Development (DFID) has supported over 11 million children in school and helped more than 60 million people get access to clean water, better sanitation and improved hygiene conditions. DFID is also leading the global effort to save millions of girls from child marriage and Female Genital Mutilation.
 
It is for these reasons that, like you, I am pleased the Government remains unequivocal in its commitment to the 0.7 per cent target.
 
Thank you again for contacting me.

Updated: January 2017