UK aid logo to feature Union Flag

The Government is to introduce a new UK aid logo featuring the Union Flag to be used on items such as water pumps, buildings and packets of grain, the International Development Secretary has revealed.

The fresh logo which states "UK aid from the British people", to be officially unveiled tomorrow, will better enable British taxpayers to "take the credit" for results achieved through overseas assistance, Andrew Mitchell said.

He said the logo had been designed in-house at no additional cost to the taxpayer, would be implemented gradually as existing stocks ran down and deployed sensitively.

Speaking on BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show he said: "I think it's important that all around the world where British aid is saving lives, transforming lives, that the British public, the British taxpayer gets the credit for this. There was a previous logo which cost £100,000 to develop which said 'aid from the Department for International Development'.

"We are replacing this at no cost with a flag that is identifiable all around the world to everybody and which says 'aid from the British people', which is what it is, and it's going to enable us I think also to take the credit for these remarkable results which we are achieving around the world."

Mr Mitchell maintained the Government was delivering "value for money and clear results" from the aid budget.

He added: "It's making sure that people who are in the poorest parts of the world whose lives are being changed and transformed know that this is Britain standing by its commitments and delivering.

"For under 1% of gross national income this is a tremendous investment, not only in the future stability and prosperity of some of the poorest and most dysfunctional parts of the world, it's an investment for Britain, in Britain's future prosperity and stability and security."

Mr Mitchell also insisted the international aid target would in future be enshrined in law, despite not featuring in the Queen's Speech.

He said: "The key thing is that we are standing by our commitments and from 2013 we will reach the 0.7, that's the absolute commitment. It will be put into law, the Prime Minister and I have made it clear the Bill is ready to proceed and it will proceed when the business managers say."