A weekly programme which focuses on people and the situations which shape their lives
Reporters James Astor, Jeremy James, Jeanne La Chard, John Pitman, Denis Tuohy, Desmond Wilcox, Harold Williamson

This week: What Price Charity? - The Oxfam Dilemma
Last year the British public gave over £3 million to Oxfam. But however efficiently the charity administers this money, the scale of world poverty is so immense that even those impressive sounding millions are only a drop in the ocean.

There are many, both within and outside Oxfam, who would like to see the charity use more of its money, efforts and influence to ensure that the people, and government, of Britain are more committed to the developing countries than at present: to apply political pressure, in other words.

But if Oxfam, by moulding public opinion, did try to exert pressure on official policies and actions towards those in need, would it antagonise many of its donors - and perhaps even endanger its status as a charity under our present charity laws?