§ 33. Mr. Peter Archerasked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will make a statement on the recent meeting of the International Development Association held to discuss the next replenishment.
§ Mrs. HartThis meeting, which was held on 15th/16th December, was the first in a series of informal and confidential talks between the Part I members of the association to decide the amount of funds to be made available to it for the period from July, 1971. The next round of discussions will be in London on 9th and 10th March, and the aim is to conclude negotiations by 30th June this year.
§ Mr. ArcherWhile I appreciate that the discussions are confidential and while I would not ask my right hon. Friend to disclose anything which took place, in view of what was said in the Pearson Report about the value of this work will she press for some speedy results from these discussions?
§ Mrs. HartWe shall be very anxious to make sure that the timing is maintained as is currently planned, and I have no reason to doubt that it will be. As the second largest contributor to I.D.A. we have a very special concern.
§ Mr. John FraserAs we get 30s. worth of exports for every £1 we contribute to I.D.A., can my right hon. Friend say 578 that there is no impediment to the British Government contributing more money?
§ Mrs. HartI have said that we are the second largest contributor. We subscribed 12.96 per cent. of the original initial capital of the association and have agreed to put the same percentage into looking at the arrangements for the third the present replenishment. We shall be replenishment with our desire to increase the proportion of our multilateral aid very much in mind.