Lord Oramasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will state the present position concerning the replenishment of the funds of the International Development Association; what are the prospects for a supplementary scheme; and whether they are continuing their efforts to persuade other member countries to support such a scheme.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Young)The Seventh Replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA 7), which was negotiated at $9 billion, is likely to come into effect at the end of October. Prospects for supplementary financing are not good: the United States Government is still opposed to the idea, and Japanese and West German participation is conditional upon full United States involvement.
Her Majesty's Government remains committed to the concept of supplementing the general resources of IDA 7 on the basis of fair burden-sharing among donors; and we shall continue to work for this, particularly when IDA 7 is reviewed by donor governments next year.