§ Mr. Geraint Howellsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the Government allocate for food aid to underdeveloped nations; whether he intends to raise the level of this allocation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RaisonIn 1982 the United Kingdom provided £12 million worth of food aid bilaterally as part of the European Community's obligation under the 1980 food aid convention. In the present financial year there is provision of £24 million for food aid in our programme, part of which is to finance slippage from the previous financial year. Additionally, £3 million in cash was contributed to the world food programme in 1982 and £500,000 in the current financial year.
I have no intention to raise the level of this allocation. Food aid has a useful role for famine relief in emergencies but only a small proportion of food aid is provided for this purpose. I have reservations about the relative effectiveness of other food aid, compared with other forms of development aid assistance, in helping developing countries to improve their food security.
In addition to the food aid provided directly by the United Kingdom, there is a substantial programme of food aid carried out by the European Community each year, part of the cost of which is financed from the United Kingdom contribution to the Community's budget. In 1982 the Community spent £281 million on food aid, of which the United Kingdom share was £72 million. Final figures for 1983 are not yet available but the Community's budget for that year included £319 million for food aid, of which the United Kingdom share would be some £77 million.