§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals have been made by the United Kingdom to the inter-governmental group of experts on the debt problems of developing countries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Robert Sheldon:The United Kingdom is collaborating closely in this expert group with fellow member countries of the European Community. We have joined others in the group in recommending that the case of individual developing countries with serious debt problems should be dealt with expeditiously as they arise and by international arrangement, whether in creditor clubs or in aid consortia. It is intended that the expert group, which will meet again in December, should continue their work and report in particular upon the case of the poorer developing countries; this report might then be considered by a ministerial meeting of the Trade and Development Board in March 1978. Her Majesty's Government hope that this will lead to a better understanding of the debt problem and of the ways in which individual difficulties can best be handled.