HC Deb 18 July 1968 vol 768 c1640
6. Mr. Judd

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what he now estimates that the value of the aid programme will be in 1968–69.

Mr. Prentice

The basic programme will amount to £205 million, but, as already announced, there will be three items of aid expenditure which will be additional to the basic programme. It is not possible exactly to quantify these three items, but they might amount to approximately £20 million in the present financial year. Overall aid expenditure is therefore likely to be in the region of £225 million.

Mr. Judd

Can my right hon. Friend say how much of this figure is taken up with payments such as those for pensions for former British personnel serving abroad, and how soon we shall be able to meet the new target introduced by the last U.N.C.T.A.D. Conference?

Mr. Prentice

On the first point— approximately £12 million. On the second point, it is impossible yet to give a year in which we will reach this target. We are committed by the resolution to use our best endeavours to reach the new target, although we shall have to take account of our balance of payments position.

Sir C. Osborne

Would it not be more honourable for us to pay back our own colossal debts first before giving away such large sums of money that really do not belong to us?

Mr. Prentice

To give a full answer to the hon. Gentleman would take some time, but I ask him to bear in mind, amongst other things, that (there are benefits to our balance of payments arising both directly and indirectly from the aid programme.