HC Deb 10 February 1977 vol 925 cc757-8W
Mr. Hoyle

asked the Minister for Overseas Development what aid has been given to Indonesia over the past 10 years; and if he will state the annual amounts of such aid.

Mr. Judd

British aid to Indonesia has taken three forms: non-Project aid—loans exclusively to buy goods and services from Britain; capital aid projects—largely tied to United Kingdom procurement; and technical co-operation. The total gross bilateral disbursement of United Kingdom aid for each of the calendar years 1967 to 1975 is as follows:

£ million
1967 0.690
1968 1.098
1969 2.315
1970 2.659
1971 5.835
1972 6.771
1973 8.148
1974 8.866
1975 6.777

A breakdown of those totals was given in a reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Mr. Newens) on 11th May last year.—[Vol. 911, cols. 153–4.] Final figures for the calendar year 1976 are not yet available.

Mr. Hoyle

asked the Minister for Overseas Development if he will reduce the aid given to Indonesia in the light of that country's invasion of East Timor.

Mr. Judd

No. The objective of our programme of aid to Indonesia is to assist the poorest people, and that would not be helped by such action.