Prime Minister David Cameron last night repeated a promise to the United Nations that Britain will spend more money on aid to help the world's poorest countries. The target is 0.7% of the country's GDP by 2015.

The pledge means raising the foreign aid budget from £8.5bn to £12bn, equating to around £320 for every household.

"I don't think it's correct that we should ringfence it and see it continue to increase in amount at the same time as we are cutting our armed forces," warned Conservative MP Sir Gerald Howarth.

But former Foreign Office minister Lord Malloch Brown branded the pledge "an investment in a prosperous and stable world".

"The money must be guarded and spent well, and not just handed over."

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