HC Deb 08 May 1978 vol 949 cc764-5
33. Mr. Forman

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what criteria she uses in deciding the distribution of the aid budget as between different categories of recipients.

The Minister of State for Overseas Development (Mrs. Judith Hart)

Our criteria are explained in Chapter II of the White Paper "More Help for the Poorest", Cmnd. 6270.

Mr. Forman

As well as the obvious need, will the right hon. Lady consider giving higher priority to those countries that look like importing more from Britain, which is one way of ensuring that we get a good return on the money that we quite rightly spend on aid to the countries concerned?

Mrs. Hart

Certainly, but I amplify my answer by saying that within the context of the policy of aid to the poorest it is essential—we are trying now to do this—to identify more of the larger infra-structural projects, which, incidentally, have a larger export component for Britain.

Mr. Pavitt

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied with her monitoring of the allocations that she makes within her criteria? Is she aware that very often there are inordinate delays and that as a consequence, because of the nepotism and other factors within the countries concerned, the desire to improve the economic structure of a country does not always come to fruition? Where her monitoring proves that there is a shortfall, will she take that into consideration in future allocations?

Mrs. Hart

We do that. We have been making a close examination of our procedures within the Ministry in the past few months in order to reduce some of the delays. However, if a delay occurs, that does not mean that the country concerned fails to receive the amount of aid allocated to it, although it might have to stretch over another year.

Mr. Hugh Fraser

Although the criteria are bound to be complicated and controversial, will the right hon. Lady consider the longer-term prospects of certain areas, especially perhaps in the Falkland Islands, and ensure that because of the potential wealth there a proper airfield is constructed?

Mrs. Hart

I recently answered a question on that topic. Of course, we totally appreciate the needs of the Falkland Islands. Construction of an airfield involves a study of the sort that has not yet been undertaken.

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