§ Miss Richardsonasked the Minister of Overseas Development whether the Government have made any contribution to the Asian Development Fund, established on 28th June, to provide the bank with new funds; and, if so, how much the contribution amounted to and to what purpose it was put.
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§ Mrs. HartThe British Government have undertaken to contribute towards the new Asian Development Fund to which the Asian Development Bank envisages contributions totalling $525 million, committed in two stages. The total British contribution will be £11.374 million of which £7.581 million has already been provided. Instruments of contribution towards this first stage, totalling nearly $237 million, have been deposited with the bank by 10 countries, including Britain. The new fund will provide the bank with additional resources for lending on concessional terms for the economic and social development of developing member countries of the bank, having special regard to the needs of the least-developed member countries, which include Bangladesh, Burma, Laos, Nepal and Sri Lanka.