§ Mr. Pavittasked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of countries to which interest-free loans have been given to enable them to buy British-made buses, together with the amounts and the number of vehicles in each case.
§ Mr. PrenticeIt is not a prior condition of our aid loans that the borrower shall purchase particular goods and loan agreements do not normally specify the goods to be purchased. Discussions are held with the recipient Governments in order to decide on the purpose or project for which our pledged aid is to be used. Subsequently the agreed purpose may be set out in an individual loan agreement. The United Kingdom Turkey Loan (No. 1), 1968, provided for £1 million out of aid already pledged to go towards the purchase of 300 buses. Similarly, a loan agreement with the Government of Indonesia signed in January, 1969, provided for £215,000 out of aid already pledged to be used for the purchase of 12 buses and stocks of spare parts.
169W
§ Mr. Pavittasked the Minister of Overseas Development, if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the countries to which interest-free loans have been given to enable them to buy electrical switchgear and other components necessary to the development of electrification projects, together with the amounts and the total of orders given to General Electric Company/Associated Electrical Industries Limited.
§ Mr. PrenticeThe placing of orders to be financed from our interest-free aid loans to developing countries is a matter for the borrower. It is not the practice to specify that particular products shall be purchased or particular British firms employed. Nor are detailed records kept showing a precise breakdown of the classification of industrial products supplied against aid loans.