§ 32. Mr. Iremongerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the annual average rise in the percentage of the gross national product devoted to official aid to developing countries before 1964, and the annual average fall since then.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Anthony Kershaw)Net official flows counting towards the U.N.C.T.A.D. target amounted to 0.56 per cent of g.n.p. in 1960, and 0.52 per cent. in 1964, an average decline of 0.01 per cent. a year. In 1969 the figure was 0.39 per cent., an average decline since 1964 approaching 0.03 per cent. a year.
§ Mr. IremongerHow much better do we expect it to get, and how soon?
§ Mr. KershawBetween 1960 and 1964 we managed, from public and private aid. to reach a flow of 1.03 per cent. From 1965 to 1969 it declined to 0.87 per cent. As my hon. Friend knows, it is our objective to reach 1 per cent. of the g.n.p. from public and private aid as soon as we can.
§ 35. Mr. Prenticeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the percentage of gross national product which the United Kingdom will donate to official flows of overseas aid in 1974–75.
§ Mr. KershawWe do not publish such forecasts.
§ Mr. PrenticeWould the hon. Gentleman agree, however, that the figure is almost certain to be less than 0.5 of 1 per cent.? If so, why was the Prime Minister so badly briefed as to tell me, in answer to a Parliamentary Question on 2nd February, that he thought it would be more than 0.5?
§ Mr. KershawAs we do not publish our forecasts, I will not say whether it was good or bad. However, as I have said, we managed to reach 1.03 per cent. when we were last in office, from both private and public aid. I do not see why we should not do that again.