The Government has just announced it will contribute the staggering sum of nearly £2 billion in "climate aid" to help countries in places like Africa and South America. The move has rightly been condemned by many of my colleagues, especially as we struggle with difficult economic conditions at home. I understand that this is a Lib Dem 'success' and again I can only question how (a) this Party has so much influence in Government and (b) how it can spend taxpayers' hard-earned money in this way without blanching. This really is an appalling waste of money and I urge the Government to change its mind, fast. I'm all for helping other countries, particularly Third World ones, but throwing money at them is not the way to do it. The example I use is that of farming. If a country wants to farm, send them a farmer to instruct them how to do it, and not cash which inevitably disappears into Swiss bank accounts!