One World Conservatism

The scale of poverty around the world goes against our common humanity. We will take a tough approach to getting value for money from British aid.

The scale of poverty around the world is an affront to our common humanity, and a direct threat to Britain's national interest.

That's why the Conservative Party has pledged, by 2013, to meet the UN target of spending 0.7% of national income as aid.

But Britain's generosity must be combined with a tough new approach to getting value for money from our aid. We need to make sure every penny does the most good possible.

That's why a Conservative Government will:

• Set up an Independent Aid Watchdog to scrutinise the impact and outcomes of British aid
• Move towards Results-Based Aid, where money is handed to governments only once development results have been achieved - rather than giving all the money up front based on promises that it will be spent well
• Focus our aid on the countries where it will make the biggest difference
• Spend £500 million a year to save lives by tackling malaria
• Empower people in poor countries by giving them more control over how aid is spent
• Strengthen public support for aid by giving British people a vote over where and how some of their aid is spent
• Re-emphasise wealth creation through business development and trade

In the first few hours of his Afghan visit, David meets with British troops at Lashkar Gah in central Helmand to thank them for everything that they are doing.