now, one former fco, foreign office. now, one former fco, foreign office.ffice minister from the tory party, alistair burt, has said that would be a big mistake, that dfid, as it is known, should remain asa dfid, as it is known, should remain as a standalone department. do you agree? well, dfid is the most effective international organisation for propagating international develop many of the poorest parts of the world. so why eliminate it? there is a debate going on at the moment. i am very strongly in favour of dfid remaining as an independent department of state. it is widely admired, it is extremely effective. the absolutely critical things about it and's international development policy are first of all the spending, and secondly point seven, which i am very proud it was a conservative party that finally implemented, so those other two key things. the machinery of government and the way you deliver it is the third order issue. but if you are asking me whether i think it would bea asking me whether i think it would be a good idea for dfid to be folded in

now, one former fco, foreign office minister from the tory party, alistair burt, has said that wouldhould remain as a standalone department. do you agree? well, dfid is the most effective international organisation for propagating international development of the poorest parts of the world. so why eliminate it? there is a debate going on at the moment. i am very strongly in favour of dfid remaining as an independent department of state. it's widely admired, it's extremely effective. the absolutely critical things about britain's international development policy are first of all the spending, and secondly point seven, which i am very proud it was a conservative party that finally implemented. so those are the two key things. the machinery of government and the way you deliver it is a third—order issue. but, if you're asking me whether i think it would be a good idea for dfid to be folded into the foreign office, i think it would not. and furthermore, the direction which people think that would give to development through the foreign office is anyway delivered by the national security