§ 20. Mr. Juddasked the Minister of Overseas Development what is the estimated value of orders placed in the United Kingdom during 1967–68 as the result of multilateral aid programmes and of untied aid programmes by countries other than the United Kingdom; and how this compares with the value of orders placed in this country during the same year as the result of United Kingdom tied aid programmes.
§ Mr. PrenticeOrders placed in the United Kingdom from multilateral programmes in 1967–68 are hard to quantify but should be about £30 million. Other countries' untied aid amounted to £330 million in 1966. Some will have been spent here but the value cannot be accurately estimated. Orders directly attributable to British tied aid should be about £100 million in 1967–68.
§ Mr. JuddWould my right hon. Friend not agree that the figures for untied aid and multilateral aid are very encouraging for our own economic self-interest and that we should give a lead in the development of this sort of aid internationally?
§ Mr. PrenticeYes, Sir, the figures are encouraging. It is my policy that the proportion of aid going through multilateral agencies should increase to some extent, and this will be apparent in next year's programme. On the general untying of aid, it would probably benefit this country if all aid throughout the world were untied, but this country clearly cannot, on its own, untie its aid, unless others are prepared to do the same.