IMPORTANT NOTICE ...
This meeting will now take place on Thursday 8th November 2012 at St Paul's Church on St Paul's Hill, Fulflood from 18:30-20:00 with special guest, Stephen O'Brien MP.
If you would like to come - and have not registered already - please email Steve's office as below.
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Local MP Steve Brine has organised a public meeting to discuss Britain's overseas aid programme and has secured a Government Minister to answer questions from Winchester & Chandler's Ford residents in September.
Stephen O'Brien MP, a Minister in the Department for International Development (DfID), will discuss a range of issues including the UK's aid budget, how the money is used, and the benefits of providing aid abroad to our country.
He said: "Spending less than one percent of our national income on aid, an internationally agreed target, will create a safer and more prosperous world for the UK. Tackling poverty in the world's poorest places can mean tackling the root causes of global problems such as disease, drugs, migration, terrorism, and climate change, which matter to us here in Britain.
"We know that aid works. The British people's support saves three million people from poverty each year. UK funded programmes have helped to eradicate smallpox and reduce polio cases from 350,000 a year in 1988 to just 1,500 last year. In addition, UK aid delivered more than 12 million bed-nets last year, helping to prevent 66,000 children dying from malaria.
"I look forward to discussing these issues with Winchester and Chandler's Ford residents."
Steve Brine added: "This is an issue about which I have received a huge amount of correspondence from across my constituency, with very passionate and considered views expressed on all sides.
"I was very keen to be able to secure a Minister to speak to and answer peoples' questions about our overseas aid budget so am delighted Stephen has agreed to come. I am sure there will be significant interest in this event with some very challenging and intelligent questions put to the Minister."
The event will take place at St Paul's Church, St Paul's Hill in Fulflood.
If you would like to attend, it is by ticket only (they are free) so please email steve.brine.mp@parliament.uk or call 01962 791110 to register.
PLEASE NOTE: You sadly cannot (at this time) register for this event directly online. Please email or call as above.
Check out the event flyer here.