6. What progress her Department has made on its work to end aid dependency. (908147)

The route to ending aid dependency is through inclusive growth, creating jobs, raising incomes and increasing tax revenue. We have set out priorities in a strategic framework for economic development and will more than double our spending on economic development to £1.8 billion in 2015-16.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is vital not only to target aid at those who need it most, but to establish new models—business and social models—to help with health and hygiene as well as livelihoods in the communities that need it most?

My hon. Friend is right to point out that our work on livelihoods can have far broader effects—for example, work with private sector companies such as Unilever can not only help to raise incomes and prosperity, but be a route by which employees can, in that example, improve health and hygiene measures.

In the last year of the previous Government we spent £56 million on private sector development. That is projected to rise exponentially to £1.8 billion. Rather than the Conservative party’s ideological approach of trickle-down economics, should not that investment be made on the promise of decent work, fair pay, good conditions and the right to join a trade union?

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that our work is about raising prosperity, raising incomes and helping people to get the dignity of work with, of course, the sorts of safeguards he talks about in relation to working conditions. We are right to expand our work in this area and I hope I can get cross-party support for that.