SIR,

Through your newspaper we would like to thank your readers, people from the local community, charity and faith groups, who have worked tirelessly to make sure the UK meets its promise to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on aid.

The announcement by George Osborne in last month's Budget could save over 3 million lives every year.

Back in 1970, 22 countries promised to commit to 0.7 per cent in aid but only five countries have kept that promise. The UK has now become the first G8 country to meet this commitment.

This is thanks to people who have campaigned in the local community for the last 43 years, and more recently coming together as part of the Enough Food for Everyone IF campaign, calling on our government to fulfil their promises to the world's poorest people. They can be proud that their actions have helped to make this possible.

UK aid does save lives and it is important that this increase in aid is delivered in the most effective way such as investing in the Global Fund for HIV, TB and Malaria, which has treated nearly 10 million cases of TB and the Global Partnership for Education. Both have proved that they deliver results, but they face enormous funding shortfalls.

Aid means an investment in a better world which the world's poorest people are relying on. It is money that can and will be well spent.

Sophia Ireland

(Team Leader, Oxfam Midlands)