The Group of Eight wealthy countries appear on the verge of backtracking on their landmark agreement two years ago to fund universal access to treatment for Aids sufferers, the Financial Times has learnt.

Summit documents obtained by the FT show that the G8 is now aiming to help “over the next few years...approximately five million people” with Aids – a dramatic cut from the goal of reaching 10m victims by 2010 made at the Gleneagles G8 summit in 2005.