Third World

HC Deb 01 December 1986 vol 106 cc625-6

58. Mr. Gerald Bowden

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will put more aid into health and population projects in the Third world.

Mr. Chris Patten

I have recently reviewed our policy in this respect. In 1985 we spent about £38 million on health and population. We shall be giving more emphasis in future to primary health care and associated population programmes.

Mr. Bowden

I am encouraged by my hon. Friend's reply. Does he agree that there is a close connection between the limitation of population and economic and social development? As that is the case could priority be given to programmes on family planning in our aid to the Third world?

Mr. Patten

My hon. Friend may have noticed that at the Development Council meeting of the EC, which I chaired, on 11 November, we agreed guidelines on population policy for the first time. They are firmly based on principles of individual choice and of refusal to accept coercion. They move in the direction suggested by my hon. Friend.

Mr. Deakins

Will the Minister follow and further develop the policy of his two predecessors of ensuring that there is a population component in every major overseas aid project, wherever it may be?

Mr. Patten

That is a valuable policy development. Last week I saw what we are doing to help a population programme in Pakistan. There is an intimate relationship between population programmes, primary health care and drives for greater literacy.

Mr. Key

Has my hon. Friend yet had time to assess the impact on our overseas aid programme of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and is he satisfied that the forecast growth in the budget will be able to take that on board?

Mr. Patten

We have already made a contribution to the World Health Organisation's global programme on AIDS. I share my hon. Friend's considerable concern about the subject. Officials from my Department attended a conference on that issue at Brazzaville a couple of weeks ago. We were one of the few donors to be represented at that conference and we shall be considering our policy when I am able to talk to the officials who went there.