§ Miss WiddecombeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she had made of the Government's progress towards the target of 0.7 per cent. of GNP for development assistance; and if she will make a statement. [36089]
§ Clare ShortThe UK has increased official development assistance (ODA) by a third in real terms since 1997. In 2000 net official development assistance from the UK to developing countries was £2.974 million which represented 0.32 per cent. of gross national income (GNI)—up from 0.26 per cent. in 1997. This made us the fourth largest bilateral donor in volume terms. We have pledged to raise ODA as a percentage of gross national income (GNI) to 0.33 per cent. by 2003–04.
894WOur position after 2003–04 is under discussion with the Chancellor as part of the current public spending round and will not be determined before June. We are committed to making substantial further progress towards the UN 0.7 per cent. target.