THOSE who condemn Rishi Sunak’s proposed reduction in the UK’s foreign aid budget, all of which is still paid from our borrowings, should read the confirmed reports over the past decades of how much has been wasted, or just disappeared, or was ineffective or unnecessary.

The reports detail how the aid enabled the recipients to devote more of their own resources to internal oppression or external aggression; or went to failed states or to others, like India, which a few years ago said it did not want it or need it and was embarrassed by it, or even to potential enemies like China.

They should also recall the words of the respected development economist and London School of Economics professor, Lord Peter Bauer, back in the 1970s-1980s, that it was “an excellent method of transferring money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries”; and they should reflect on how many billions have been transferred since then and to whose real benefit.

Increasing numbers of Third World economists and entrepreneurs agree, asserting that overseas aid’s effects are to maintain their countries’ dependency cultures and to strengthen the status and power of their elites.

Their sensible solution is to increase “trade not aid” by, inter alia, fundamental reform of policies like the EU’s Common Agricultural and Common Fisheries Policies – which, of course, are supported by many of those like Nicola Sturgeon, who jump to condemn Whitehall at the drop of a hat.

John Birkett, St Andrews, Fife.

AT the same time as Ms Sturgeon and Ms Forbes complain endlessly about foodbanks, disadvantaged Scottish families, and allegedly insufficient funding for Scotland and those affected by Covid – despite the millions already sent by the UK (albeit strangely not yet fully distributed to those in need) – it is refreshing to see that they have been able to promptly issue £2 million to feed children in Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia in the wake of the pandemic.

Between these three countries, there have been collectively around 500 Covid-related deaths - fewer than the locked-down City of Glasgow.

Would it be purely coincidental that this was announced merely a few days after Mr Sunak reduced Britain’s foreign aid budget by 0.2 per cent, or is it yet another example of the SNP playing political games to be just slightly different from the UK, and using taxpayers’ funds to grandstand on a world stage as a distraction from their endless failures at home?

Steph Johnson, Glasgow.

I AGREE that international aid is an imperfect solution, and can sometimes be mis-used, but having once travelled a little in southern Africa, and having witnessed the terrible poverty in some places, I think that aid is a humane way of helping poorer countries.

A. Thomas, Edinburgh.