§ 34. Mr. Spearingasked the Minister for Overseas Development what was the 334W average annual rate of decline in the percentage of GNP and of public expenditure devoted to official Government overseas aid and development programmes between 1960 and 1964, 1964 and 1970, 1970 and 1974 and since 1974.
§ Mr. PrenticeOfficial development assistance as a percentage of GNP declined at an average annual rate of 2 per cent. between 1960 and 1964, and 6 per cent. between 1964 and 1970; between 1970 and 1974 it increased at an average annual rate of 1 per cent., and since then it has barely changed. As a percentage of public expenditure it declined at an average annual rate of 3 per cent. between 1960 and 1964, 7½ per cent. between 1964 and 1970, and 3 per cent. between 1970 and 1974; since then it has fallen a further 3½ per cent.
§ 38. Mr. Douglas-Mannasked the Minister for Overseas Development whether he will publish figures for the years from 1961 to 1975, inclusive, showing the proportion of gross national product represented by that expenditure on overseas aid and development.
§ Mr. PrenticeThe following is the information:
Net official development assistance as percentage of GNP. ODA Net £m. Percentage of GNP 1961 … … … 163 0.59 1962 … … … 150 0.52 1963 … … … 145 0.47 1964 … … … 173 0.52 1965 … … … 169 0.47 1966 … … … 174 0.45 1967 … … … 173 0.43 1968 … … … 173 0.40 1969 … … … 180 0.39 1970 … … … 186 0.36 1971 … … … 231 0.41 1972 … … … 243 0.39 1973 … … … 246 0.34 1974 … … … 309 0.38 1975 … … … 388 0.38