In a written reply to a question in the House of Commons on 12th December, the Minister of Overseas Development, Arthur Bottomley, announced that Britain would cut aid by £20 million next year, This it was said was "in the interest of economic recovery and to maintain the strength of the pound". He went on to say that payments under the aid programme would be limited to £205 million in 1967-68 as compared with £225 million in 1966-67.
The twenty or so countries that receive British aid, ranging from £30 to £1.5 million, will in a number of cases find their aid allotments cut and probably the payments as well. The significance of these cuts should be noted; most of the countries involved have appalling per capita incomes (see Dave Windsor's article of last week) and the need for a huge increase of aid from the developed countries is overwhelming. Yet despite this these cuts are to be imposed to make the pound 'safe'.