HC Deb 28 January 1976 vol 904 cc249-50W
Mrs. Winifred Ewing

asked the Secretary of State for Overseas Development if he will comment on the EEC contribution to the new International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); and what estimate he can make of Great Britain's total contribution to the Third World.

Mr. Prentice

The EEC has yet to decide in principle whether to contribute to the fund, although most member States favour such a contribution, and some have announced their willingness to contribute either through the Community or bilaterally. Among those in favour of a Community contribution there is a consensus that an amount of about $200 million would be commensurate with the Community's resources and responsibilities.

The United Kingdom has announced a contribution of £15 million to the fund, and woud be willing to use all or part of it as the United Kingdom share in any genuinely Community contribution. The United Kingdom contribution is offered on the understanding that total contributions reach at least 75 per cent. of the agreed $1.2 billion initial target for the fund, and that they are made on a broadly equal basis by industrialised and oil producing countries.

Total net official and private flows from the United Kingdom to developing countries in 1974, which is the latest year for which figures are available, were £980 The question of further capital aid to Indonesia has not yet been decided.

million, of which £309 million was official development assistance.

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