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Order! Order!

Hello there, I'm Alicia McCarthy, and this is today in Parliament for BBC Radio for the Thursday the 19th of March,

where MPs warn reductions in overseas aid spending could have serious consequences.

These cuts do not aid our defence. They make the whole world more vulnerable.

A conservative warns that increasing taxes on imported steel will make building homes, bridges

and railways more expensive. And an MP gives an insight into the struggles facing some people

who rely on the NHS. I've seen firsthand the good, the bad and the downright absent of the mental

health care system. But first, government plans to reduce how much it spends on international aid

have been labelled death sentence

cuts by one MP. Last year, the Prime Minister announced a reduction to 0.3% of national income.

That's less than half the level in 2021. Sarkier Starmut said the money saved would be used to fund

an increase in defence spending. The Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, came to the Commons to outline what changes would be made.

She said other countries such as Germany, France and Sweden had made similar choices

and insisted the move was not about ideology, but about the threats the UK faced.

Our commitment to international development remains a central part of our foreign policy,

a reflection of both our values and our national interest.

It is a fundamental part of our moral purpose to stand up against global disease and hunger

and to support those trapped in crises

caused by conflict or climate change.

Yvette Cooper told MPs her department would continue its work supporting women and girls

and prioritise funding for countries with the biggest humanitarian need, such as Ukraine,

...