The total UK official development assistance will reach 0.47 % of Gross National Income by 2007-08, the UK Chancellor, Gordon Brown announced this week. The Department for International Development will see its budget rise to £5.3 billion a year (from £3.8 billion today). Its Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, issued a statement confirming that at least £1.25 billion a year will go to Africa by 2008 with a further £1.5 billion being spent on HIV/AIDS over the next three years.