Ms Jane-Ann McKenna:

I will start. On security and defence and the broader economic environment, our sector is not so naive as to assume that these things do not have an impact on our ability to be able to support ODA going forward. We recognise that and understand that our ODA contribution is based on our economic well-being. We saw that during the crash when there were significant cuts to our aid budget. I was at a talk with Filippo Grandi earlier today. He is the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. He made the point clearly and we would emphasise it. Aid equals stability. Considering the EU and the direction of travel of other donors, which are cutting their budgets, it will ultimately have a destabilising effect on the least developed countries, that is, the countries that are already bearing the brunt of conflict. Where resources are scarce, people will move. There will be more migration. There will potentially be more conflict.

We are looking at a situation now as a result of the aid cuts, for example, where in refugee camps education can no longer be provided. It is not seen as life saving so it has to be cut. Thinking that through, for the individuals who are now living in or have fled conflict and do not even have the opportunity of education, what is the long-term view? How are we ensuring we are not creating a more unstable world by retreating on our ODA commitments? At the moment we are seeing significant political momentum around military. We are not experts in that area, but we know that if you start slashing the aid piece and only increase that amount, it is a short-sighted approach. That is why we say there has to be significant funding instruments that are protected and only look at inequality and poverty reduction at their core.