HC Deb 10 February 1966 vol 724 cc143-4W
Mr. John Osborn

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will tabulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT how much aid was given by Great Britain in 1965, and the previous two years to underdeveloped countries in the Commonwealth, all underdeveloped countries, all Commonwealth countries, and all countries,

£million
1963
Financial Aid Technical Assistance
Grants Loans Total
Commonwealth Countries … 39.5 57.6 (*) 22.5 (1) 119.6
Foreign Countries … 6.4 11.9 1.3 19.5
Total Commonwealth and Foreign Countries … 45.9 69.5 23.7 (2) 139.2 (2)
1964
Commonwealth Countries … 47.5 82.8 (*) 23.4 (1) 153.7
Foreign Countries … 8.1 9.6 1.8 19.5
Total Commonwealth and Foreign Countries … 55.5 (2) 92.4 25.2 173.2 (2)
1965(*)
Commonwealth Countries … 52.1 71 (*) 28.6 (1) 151.7 (2)
Foreign Countries … 5.8 121 2.7 20.6
Total Commonwealth and Foreign Countries … 58.0(2) 83.1(2) 31.3 172.3(2)
Notes:
1—(*) Provisional.
(1) Includes Exchequer advances to the Commonwealth Development Corporation but not total overseas investment by the Corporation.
(2) Includes loans of £0.2 million in 1963; £0.1 million in 1964 and £0.1 million in 1965.
2—Totals do not add exactly owing to rounding.

Multilateral contributions were respectively £20.9 million, £18.4 million and £21 million but it is not possible to say what proportions of these went to developing countries in the Commonwealth and to others. The total figures were therefore £160.1 million in 1963, £191.6 million in 1964 and £193.3 million (provisional) in 1965. The last

respectively, stating in each case how much of this aid has been bilateral aid, and how much through multilateral agencies.

Mr. Greenwood

I am concerned only with economic aid to developing countries. Bilateral disbursements (including Exchequer advances to, but not total overseas investment by the Commonwealth Development Corporation) in the past three years have been as follows:

is a revision of the figure which I gave in my reply on 8th February to the hon. Member for Surbiton and the hon. Member, and which I explained at the time was a purely provisional figure. I am very pleased that the still provisional figures for 1965 should indicate a continuing upward trend in total disbursements on overseas aid.