§ 22. Mr. DavidTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what improvement there has been in the way EU development funds are allocated since 2000. [54759]
§ Clare ShortIn 2000 only 38 per cent. of EC official development assistance payments went to poor countries down from 52 per cent. in 1999. Accurate figures for EC spending in 2001 will be available early next year. However, it is likely that the share of EC spending in low income countries will have risen since expenditure from the European Development Fund in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific countries-most of which are low income-is reported to have increased significantly.
There have also been improvements in the budgetary allocations for Asia, which has the largest number of poor people of any region. Last year we secured an extra e70m for Asia including humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan. In the Preliminary Draft Budget for 2003 these increases have been sustained and are balanced by cuts in assistance to the Balkans now that the emergency reconstruction phase has ended.
The poverty focus and effectiveness of EC allocations is still low. My Department continues to push for allocations based on developmental needs to countries committed to reducing their poverty.