Aid vouchers to give poor a school and services choice

AID vouchers will allow people in the poorest countries to choose the best schools and services, Conservative proposals revealed yesterday.

A Tory government would also fund private schools across the developing world, in a bid to improve results and drive up standards.

Shadow international development secretary Andrew Mitchell said he was "investigating" the use of vouchers, which would be redeemable for development services of any kind with an aid agency or supplier. He also said the Tories would support the growth of private education and health sectors in the poorest countries.

The proposals came from a draft Tory policy document, leaked ahead of the publication of the government's white paper on development today.

Mr Mitchell said: "Governments have a responsibility to guarantee access to health and education for everyone, particularly the poorest."

But international development minister Mike Foster said the voucher plan looked "unworkable and ideological".