HC Deb 12 December 1986 vol 107 cc305-6W
Mr. Pawsey

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list his Department's principal achievements in overseas aid since 1983.

Mr. Chris Patten

Since 1983 the principal achievements of the aid programme include:

  1. (1) A swift and generous response (£190 million to April 1986) to appeals for emergency relief which helped to mitigate the effects of famine in Sub-Saharan Africa.
  2. (2) The completion of many aid projects, large and small, including the Victoria dam in Sri Lanka (£113 million), and the Songea-Makambako road in Tanzania (£90 million).
  3. (3) 118 new project allocations, each worth £2 million or more, with a total value of £1,130 million.
  4. (4) Helping to sustain economic policy reforms, particularly in Africa, through the provision of programme aid (£137 million between 1983 and 1985) in support of IMF/113RD adjustment programmes.
  5. (5) 17,416 man-years of training of overseas personnel and 10,855 man-years of service by British expert and volunteers in developing countries provided between 1983 and 1985.
  6. (6) Securing contracts for British firms worth £713 million with aid and trade provision support.

At the November 1986 European Community Development Council under Britain's Presidency, agreement in principle was reached on a much needed reform of EC food aid.

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