Use of 'the'

Without any other context, I'd say either one would be ok (however as soon as JTT shows up the wrangle over this is going to start again, but "data" is a plural noun, tho often treated as singular, so if you're going to be precise about it, it should be "say", not "says")

The second example, without the definite article, is what one might expect to see with a newspaper headline.

British foreign ministry data in $, you are so mildly.

So, I guess in this case the sentence should read without the 'the' article, as in:
British foreign ministry data says that 100 million dollars were given as aid in 2011.

Thanks all.