HC Deb 04 March 1997 vol 291 cc542-3W
Mr. Martyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much of the United Kingdom aid programme was(a) directly and (b) indirectly devoted to promoting food production for local consumption; how much was devoted to promoting cash crop production for export; and what are these figures as a percentage of the total aid programme in each year since 1979. [18020]

Dr. Liam Fox

ODA does not maintain data covering the specific information on food production and cash crop production in the form requested for the period 1979 to 1986. It would, therefore, not be possible to provide a detailed answer for the period 1979 to 1986 without disproportionate cost. However, from 1987–88 onwards the information requested as a percentage of the total bilateral aid programme is contained in the table.

Promotion of food production under the UK bilateral aid programme
Financial year New commitments devoted to direct1 promotion £ New commitments as a percentage of total annual bilateral aid programme (direct) i New commitments devoted to indirect2 promotion £ New commitments as a percentage of total annual bilateral aid programme (indirect)
1987–88 147,732,000 18.72 38,333,634 4.86
1988–89 25,120,251 2.93 16,700,176 1.95
1989–90 48,508,063 4.84 22,278,657 2.22
1990–91 46,685,531 4.45 15,900,996 1.51
1991–92 53,206,595 4.95 24,688,720 2.30
1992–93 46,370,484 4.12 37,603,350 3.34
1993–94 53,621,729 4.64 15,699,531 1.36
1994–95 25,048,368 2.24 36,022,357 3.22
1995–96 30,348,874 2.76 22,485,344 2.04
1 Direct promotion; any activity which has the promotion of food production for local consumption as a stated objective or output.
2 Indirect promotion; any activity which does not have an explicit objective to promote food production for local consumption.

Promotion of cash crop production under the UK bilateral aid programme
Financial year New commitments devoted to direct1 promotion £ New commitments as a percentage of total annual bilateral aid programme (direct) New commitments devoted to indirect2 promotion £ New commitments as a percentage of total annual bilateral aid programme (indirect)
1987–88 27,735,095 3.52 7,957,901 1.01
1988–89 3,143,623 0.37 5,814,928 0.68
1989–90 26,016,905 2.6 507,021 0.05
1990–91 349,391 0.03 946,866 0.09
1991–92 2,308,567 0.21 1,602,335 0.12
1992–93 19,454,644 1.72 4,117,628 0.37
1993–94 2,035,540 0.18 2,471,516 0.22
1994–95 2,360,001 0.21 3,284,624 0.29
1995–96 112,360 0.01 2,007,882 0.18
1 Direct promotion; any activity which has the promotion of exports of cash crops as a stated objective or output.
2 Indirect promotion; any activity which does not have an explicit objective to increase the export of cash crops, but addresses crops that do have export potential.