THE cut in our overseas aid budget is of some concern, though not as much as if the money we give were well spent with greater focus on the issue of population growth.

There is legitimate scepticism over many aid projects but I’m not sure that paying some people £2,500 a month to do nothing comes any higher on my list of good causes.

I can, however, see the argument against us borrowing to give. Far better if those who can afford to lend gave the money directly.

May I suggest, as a way to make good the shortfall, that we introduce a tax of say £1 an hour on the employment of foreign workers.

We need such a tax anyway to penalise employers who source their labour abroad, serving their own profitability at the expense of Britain’s resources, environment and cohesion.

If the tax went to general expenditure it could reasonably be seen as exploitative.

Government might also become addicted to it, encouraging migration to increase revenue. Ring-fencing it for overseas aid would avoid this.

John Riseley, Harrogate.