§ 26. Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to raise the proportion of Britain's gross domestic product allocated to overseas aid. [1331]
§ Dr. Liam FoxThe proportion of gross national product allocated to development assistance depends on our economic circumstances and competing priorities for funds. The United Kingdom exceeds the United Nations target of providing 1 per cent. of GNP in official and private flows to the developing world.
§ Mr. RendelGiven that the Government have proclaimed many times recently that they believe that our economy is one of the strongest in Europe, is it not doubly immoral that at the same time we should be prepared to allow our aid programme to be one of the weakest in Europe?
§ Dr. FoxI purposely picked the UN target that the Opposition do not use because our economic success has 18 been based on the use of the free market, on the use of private capital, and that is what we are exporting. The United Kingdom's combined private and official flows, more than 1 per cent. of GNP, are equalled or excelled worldwide only by Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. That is a very good record.
§ Mr. Jacques ArnoldIs not the key point that quality is almost even more important than quantity and that the targeting and quality of British aid are world famous?
§ Dr. FoxIn the three months that I have enjoyed this portfolio, I have visited nine different countries. In almost every one of them where I have been able to visit an aid project, I have been impressed by how much people who benefit from those projects recognise the quality of United Kingdom aid, which is second to none in quality. My hon. Friend is absolutely correct. It matters where the aid goes. Three quarters of British aid goes to the poorest nations. No one in the House could argue with that.