§ Viscount Cranborneasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is now possible to give estimates of United Kingdom aid flows to developing countries.
§ Mr. Neil MartenOn the new basis which has been agreed for reporting of aid flows to the development 325W assistance committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, our latest estimate of net official development assistance to developing countries in 1981 is £1,082 million, representing provisionally 0.43 per cent. of gross national product.
These figures include administrative costs involved in operating the aid programme, which have not previously been included in United Kingdom aid statistics but which the DAC has now decided should be included in order to ensure comparability of different donors' aid statistics.
On the previously used basis, excluding administrative costs, United Kingdom net official development assistance amounted to £1,049 million or 0.42 per cent. of gross national product.
The figure for 1980 on the old basis was £766 million or 0.34 per cent. of gross national product; and £796 million or 0.35 per cent. on the new one.