Letter: Foreign aid

I am indebted to The Scotsman for the pie chart on foreign aid, "Where the money goes" (18 May).

It is astounding that the UK gives 3.142 billion of aid every year to the 28 countries on this list. I thought we had a huge deficit and there was an economic crisis. If we go bankrupt then these countries will get nothing.

Surely it is better to cut back now and resume when we can afford it since we certainly cannot at present?

India will get an extra 1bn and Pakistan an extra 650 million by 2015 to spend on space exploration, the purchase of submarines, frigates and nuclear weapons.

I am sure all these countries will be pleased to help and give us their foreign aid when we are a third world country, which is not too far off.

Clark Cross

Springfield Road

Linlithgow