§ Mr. Freudasked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will list in the Official Report (a) the amount given as foreign aid by the British Government in each of the last 10 years, (b) what percentage of (i) gross national product and (ii) gross domestic product this represents in each case, (c) what percentage of total Government expenditure this represents in each case and (d) what he estimates the sums to be for 1981.
§ Mr. BlakerThe information is set out in the table below. In all years the figure for aid as a percentage of GNP is the same as that as a percentage of GDP. No estimates have been made for 1981 because of the uncertainties involved in forecasting figures for both GNP and net official development assistance. Technical factors largely explain the fall in the 1980 figures compared with 1979. No promissory note was deposited in respect of the sixth replenishment of the International Development Association because the replenishment agreement was not ratified. Slow bilateral drawings, by certain recipient countries against resources available was a further contributory factor.
Net Official Development Assistance, 1971–1980 Year £ Million Percentage of GNP Percentage of Public Expenditure 1971 258 0.45 1.10 1972 269 0.42 1.02 1973 261 0.36 0.85 1974 335 0.40 0.85 1975 404 0.39 0.78 1976 487 0.39 0.83 1977 632 0.44 1.02 1978 761 0.46 1.06 1979 992 0.52 1.17 1980 767 0.34 0.74