§ Mr. Kenneth Carlisleasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any decision has been taken on the future of the scheme which uses aid programme funds to help finance pre-investment studies by British private sector businesses considering overseas investments.
§ Mr. RaisonIt has been decided to discontinue this scheme—known as the pre-investment studies scheme—which we do not believe to be effective. It has been very little used in recent years. The Commonwealth Development Corporation continues to seek British private sector partners for its investment overseas and is a more effective instrument for using aid programme funds to help stimulate private sector investment in developing countries.