Where charity begins - Telegraph One reshuffled minister who has no need to worry about her departmental budget is Justine Greening, the International Development Secretary. Despite an age of austerity that is requiring cuts across the public sector, the department's budget will rise by 37 per cent during this parliament. The people of this country, who are already generous with their voluntary contributions to charities abroad, will donate an extra £300 on average per household through their taxes. The aim is for Britain to increase aid spending to the UN target of 0.7 per cent of GDP, even as output falls and disposable income declines. This controversial policy is justified by the Coalition on the grounds that the poorest people in the world should not have to suffer for the economic downturn in the wealthier West. This is a laudable attitude, albeit one that is easier to adopt with other people's money. But the taxpayer must be certain of one thing above all - that it is being spent wisely and efficiently. We are assured that it no longer ends up in the Swiss bank accounts of Third World despots; and yet, as The Sunday Telegraph disclosed at the weekend, substantial sums are paid out in consultancy fees that clearly never get anywhere near an impoverished village or a starving child. Lord Ashcroft, who was made a government adviser in the reshuffle, has written to Miss Greening urging her to "turn off the golden taps and stop flooding the developing world with our money." In view of the commitments consistently given by David Cameron, this is not going to happen. So it is gratifying to learn that Miss Greening - an accountant by profession - is going through the aid budget line by line to ensure value for money is forthcoming. This is the least the country can expect. We are entitled to know precisely where our money is going and to whom.