§ Mr. Cordleasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria are used in deciding (a) whether a Commonwealth country should receive British overseas aid excluding such factors as technical assistance which sometimes forms part of an aid programme, and (b) whether if a developing Commonwealth country has a strong, buoyant economy British aid is automatically terminated.
§ Mr. WoodA Commonwealth country may be offered British aid if it is regarded internationally as "less developed". Short-term economic improvements would not justify the termination of our aid, but I would always take longer-term trends into account when considering new commitments.