§ Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the(a) budget and (b) staffing level of the Overseas Development Administration (i) in 1974, (ii) in 1979 and (iii) at the latest date; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BaldryThe number of staff in ODA, including its agency, the Natural Resources Institute, were 2,164 on 1 April 1974, 2,285 on 1 April 1979 and 1,553 on 1 April 1994. The expenditure for which ODA is responsible was £364 million in 1974–75 and £848 million in 1979–80 and is estimated to be £2,396 million in 1994–95.
Staff reductions have been achieved by efficiency improvements so that the quality of aid programme delivery has remained high.