§ Q2. Mr. Juddasked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on the future rôle of the Ministry of Overseas Development within the Government's foreign policy.
§ The Prime MinisterThe functions of the Ministry remain exactly as stated to the House on 10th November, 1964 by my right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State, the then Minister of Overseas Development.
§ Mr. JuddIs it not sobering to reflect that, while our gross national product rose by 60 per cent. or £15,000 million since 1961, the net cost of our overseas aid programme has decreased from £151 million to £150 million during the same period? Will the Prime Minister give us an assurance that in their future plans for public expenditure the Government will move steadily towards fulfilment of the 1 per cent. U.N.C.T.A.D. target?
§ The Prime MinisterI have answered Questions on this many times in the past, and particularly with regard to the 1 per cent. My hon. Friend will be aware that the matter is kept continuously under review in each review of Government expenditure. I should have thought that he would feel that the fact that so many things had to be cut back last year while the aid programme was not cut back in sterling terms showed the high priority which we give to this programme.
§ Mr. TilneyWill the Prime Minister bear in mind that taxpayers' money could be saved if private enterprise investment 2129 could be stimulated in developing countries and that this requires some form of political insurance?
§ The Prime MinisterI know that this is a matter to which a great deal of thought has been given in the past. There has been a quite welcome increase in private enterprise investment in some of the developing countries, though I think that the problem which successive Governments have had is that far more of it has gone to already developed countries rather than to those where the need for investment in world terms is greatest.