§ Mr. Bryan GouldTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid has been supplied to developing countries for (i) family planning 233W activities, (ii) projects aimed at alleviating poverty and promoting economic and social development and (iii) projects to improve the health and education of women and to reduce infant mortality, since September 1990.
§ Mrs. ChalkerPromoting sustainable economic and social development and alleviating poverty are the basic objectives of the whole aid programme. British aid, bilateral and through multilateral channels, providing direct support to family planning services was just over £17 million in 1989 (final 1990 figures are not yet available but there was a significant increase to about £24 million). Improving the health and education of women and reducing infant mortality are part of a number of the activities that we finance. Bilateral activities which include these objectives as identifiably substantial aspects of the work, involved expenditure of about £29 million in 1989. In addition a good part of our contributions to WHO, UNICEF and UNHCR activities totalling £43.5 million in 1989 would have been devoted to such activities.