§ Mr. Spearingasked the Minister of Overseas Development what criteria the European Development Fund currently 685W applies to proposals for projects from associated States; and if he will publish in the Official Report the name and reference of the EEC document setting out such criteria and the procedure adopted for selecting schemes that qualify for assistance.
§ Mr. PrenticeThe current European Development Fund is administered in accordance with the criteria agreed in the second Yaoundé Convention. The procedure for selecting projects is outlined in a booklet published by the European Community's Commission. I am arranging for a copy of the second Yaoundé Convention and a copy of the Commission booklet covering project selection to be placed in the Library of the House.
Community discussions on the guidelines to be used for the implementation of the fourth EDF are currently taking place.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Minister of Overseas Development what representation the United Kingdom has on the controlling body of the European Development Fund; what part is played by the European banks in the management of the fund; and what is the financial liability of the United Kingdom in the fund.
§ Mr. PrenticeThe United Kingdom does not contribute to European Development Fund III and therefore attends the meetings of the EDF Committee as an observer when projects being financed from that Fund are being discussed.
The United Kingdom will contribute 18.7 per cent. of the 3,000 million units of account concessional finance to be provided under the fourth EDF. The United Kingdom is playing an active part on the Council working group on the overall policy to be applied to this fourth Fund and is participating fully in the discussions in the EDF Committee on the programmes and projects to be financed under it.
The European banks are not involved in the management of the Fund.