In this chapter I want to explore some of the ways in which financial resources can be a force for good, not only in Britain but also across the globe. This issue raises questions not only about the best use of money but also about its generation – that is, about how best to ensure that the resources are actually available to be used wisely.

Often, governments that seek to create an enterprise climate, to keep taxes down, to limit the role of the state, are accused of fostering selfishness. Yet it is precisely such policies, at home and internationally, which create the conditions in which more resources can be generated.

That is as true internationally as it is in Britain. Trade is now the most important factor in the fight against poverty in the developing world. The level of inward direct investment produced by global trade dwarfs levels of foreign direct assistance. The rapid spread of globalisation has underpinned this trend, but has also (accompanied by the increasing role of digital technologies and transnational corporations, and the creation of the World Trade Organisation) presented developing countries with a complex and challenging trading regime.

It is vital that developing countries are allowed to realise the benefits for their populations that genuine trade liberalisation would bring. It has been estimated that successful implementation of the commitments made at Doha could add some $150 billion to the income of developing countries. The Conservative Party is fully behind the government in its efforts to achieve success in the Trade Rounds.