Jeremy is a member of the International Development Committee (IDC) that is elected by the House of Commons to independently examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the work of the Department for International Development (DFID).

This year the IDC has carried enquiries into the UK's assistance in building capacity for tax collection in countries such as Zambia in order to allow independence of aid.  UK bilateral work has helped increase revenue collection as a proportion of GDP in countries such as Burundi, Afghanistan and Rwanda. This is an important step to stabilising nations and reducing the UK’s aid commitment in the long term.

Jeremy said: “I know some people have concerns about the UK’s commitment to aid when we face tough choices about what we spend at home. However, I believe we have a responsibility to humankind to help people in desperate need. Millions of people live on less than $2 a day with poor access to basic needs such as water, healthcare, shelter. We can be proud of our achievements and commitment.

“My role on the IDC is to help ensure every pound of Stafford constituent’s taxes spent on aid is targeted effectively to tackle the causes of global poverty and save lives.”

Thanks to your taxes the UK will vaccinate a child every 2 seconds over the next 5 years and help halve malaria deaths in ten of the worst-affected countries.

UK Aid helps millions of people:

1.                   Education: Securing  schooling for 11 million children by 2015 - more than we educate in the UK but at 2.5 per cent of the cost.

2.                   Water and sanitation: Providing access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation to more people than there are in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland combined.

3.                   The private sector: The development programme is unleashing the power of the private sector, helping more than 50 million people to access savings, credit and insurance; helping half the countries in Africa benefit from freer trade; supporting jobs and growing incomes for more than ten million people.

4.                   Rwanda land titling: A nationwide land registration programme will give over 6.4 million people the legal deeds to their land, half of them women.

5.                   Fragile States: Strengthening governance and security in 21 fragile and conflict-affected states: supporting elections, parliaments and democratic governance; empowering citizens; improving security and justice; building capacity; and promoting effective tax systems.