I believe that £ 7.5 billion is an adequate contribution to foreign aid, especially if it were better targeted and funds actually got through to the poor. (Letters, March 6).

It does seem a tad vain that the UK is currently giving more aid than France and Germany. Clearly it is good to give aid (Letters, March 11) but last year the Department for International Development was struggling to spend their huge budget of £11.5 billion.

Perhaps the UN resolution on foreign aid ought to now be revised down to 0.5% of gross national income. The world has changed since 1970.

Out of some £4 billion saved, £1 billion ought to be kept as a contingency for disasters such as an earthquake or outbreak of Ebola. The remaining £3 billion saved ought to be spent here in the UK, to help NHS services and create jobs in the north of England, where houses are cheaper. Charity begins at home. We can’t have over a third of the UK population moving down to the South East.

S Zapello, Address supplied