HC Deb 25 April 1984 vol 58 cc544-5W
Mr. Corbyn

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how Her Majesty's Government instructed their representative to vote at International Monetary Fund executive board meetings on each application for loans made by El Salvador, Nicaragua and Grenada during the last five years.

Mr. Ian Stewart

In accordance with practice, the IMF executive board approved each of the loan applications from E1 Salvador, Nicaragua and Grenada without a vote. The United Kingdom executive director supported the applications on their technical merits.

Mr. Corbyn

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the value of loans made by the International Monetary Fund for each of the last five years to E1 Salvador, Nicaragua and Grenada.

Mr. Ian Stewart

For the period to 30 April 1983, the information requested is in table 1.5 of the IMF annual reports 1979–83, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library. Since then, Grenada has borrowed a further SDR 1.12 million from the IMF, in August 1983.

1953–54 1983–84
Multiple of average earnings 1 5 1 5
Single 49.7 33.1 6.6 34.9 23⅔2 4.6
Married with no children 85.1 56.7 11.3 54.6 36.4 7.3
Married with two children 145.4 97.0 19.4 54.6 36.4 7.3
Married with four children 199.4 132.9 26.6 54.6 36.4 73

Average earnings are for a full-time adult male manual worker; and in the case of married couples it is assumed that the husband is the sole earner. Comparisons between the two years for those with children are affected by the withdrawal of child tax allowances in the late 1970s.