New research suggests most people think that the �2.6m the UK Government plans to spend on the Millennium Dome would be better spent elsewhere.

Almost two-thirds of people think that a higher priority should be put on the cancellation of Third World debt than on building the dome to mark the year 2000.

The survey by Mori was commissioned by the Catholic aid agency, Cafod, and the Catholic newspaper, The Universe.

The intention was to find out how the public wanted the total �2.7bn allocated by the government for millennium projects to be spent.

Most of those questioned thought that the cash would be best spent on education or the health service.

But researchers were surprised that Third World debt, which is not often in the public eye, ranked higher than religious services, street parties and the Millennium Dome itself.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, supports cancellation of world debt

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, has already called on the West to cancel Africa's growing burden of debt.

In an address to the Organisation of African Unity and the United Nation's Economic Commission for Africa, Dr Carey criticised the West for failing to take responsibility in relieving massive debts which total more than $200bn in sub-Saharan Africa.

He believes the millennium should be a symbolic opportunity for governments and all the world's faiths to come together and create a new hope for the continent.