HC Deb 08 May 1980 vol 984 cc193-4W
Mr. Cadbury

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the total amount of British foreign aid; and what proportion of this is tied to the purchase of British goods and services in the current year.

Mr. Neil Marten

The gross aid programme in 1980–81 will be £961 million. It is not possible to estimate in advance the proportion of bilateral aid which is tied to the purchase of British goods and services because the conditions attached to individual loan and grant agreements vary. In 1978, the most recent year for which statistics on tying are available, the proportion of United Kingdom bilateral aid—excluding technical cooperation—fully tied was 55 per cent. A further 16 per cent. was limited to procurement in this country or the recipient countries.