§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Lord Privy Seal what has been the level of Government direct aid, in constant money terms, to developing countries for each of the past 10 years; and what are his projected levels of such aid through to 1983–84.
§ Mr. Neil MartenThe following table gives figures for British net aid 1971–72 to 1980–81 in cash for each year and in constant 1980–81 prices.
Net Aid Programme—£ million Cash At constant 1980–81 prices 1971–72 227.5 746 1972–73 252.3 789 1973–74 266.2 721 1974–75 324.7 703 1975–76 427.6 775 1976–77 495.5 750 1977–78 600.2 809 1978–79 722.7 905 1979–80 787.6 884 1980–81 888.4 888 It is not now the Government's policy to plan future expenditure in constant money terms. For 1981–82 and 1982–83 the figures for net overseas aid in cash terms are £972 million and £950 million respectively. The gross aid programme levels are £1,037 million and £1,019 million in these two years.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Lord Privy Seal what steps the Government have taken to improve awareness in the United Kingdom of the needs of overseas developing countries; how much has been spent on such measures over each of the past five years; and what are the projected levels of such spending through to 1983–84 in constant money terms.
§ Mr. Neil MartenThe Overseas Development Administration has a programme of press, publications and other information activities about Britain's official aid programme. The cost, excluding ODA staff and general administrative costs, is about £120,000 a year.
The provision of official grants to non-government bodies for their own development education programmes and activities is being reduced. Expenditure on this over the last five years was:
£000 1976–77 61.7 1977–78 185.8 1978–79 219.0 1979–80 560.3 1980–81 412.6 In 1981–82 the provision in cash terms is £245,000; and, subject to parliamentary approval, Ministers hope to make available £178,000 in 1982–83, in cash terms. I am not in a position to give figures for later years.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Lord Privy Seal why he has ended the £3,000 per annum grant to the Welsh Centre for International Affairs; and whether he intends to take alternative steps to improve awareness in Wales of the needs of overseas developing countries.
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§ Mr. Neil MartenWith a reduced overseas aid programme, the direct needs of developing countries have priority over the provision of offical grants to United Kingdom non-government organisations for domestic programmes of development education. The annual grant to the Welsh Centre for International Affairs was extended for one year, to March 1981, to enable it to raise funds from alternative sources. It is understood that the centre has had considerable success in this endeavour. The resources of the Centre for World Development Education are, of course, available at the national level for furthering understanding of the needs of developing countries.