HC Deb 29 June 1987 vol 118 c23W
72. Mr. Salmond

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has any target date for increasing United Kingdom overseas aid to match United Nations guidelines as a percentage of gross domestic product.

Mr. Chris Patten

The Government accept in principle the UN target of 0.7 per cent of GNP for official development assistance but are not committed to a timetable for achieving it. We have achieved the UN target of 1 per cent. for official and private flows combined in evey year since 1979, except 1985.

Mr. Bowis

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the amounts of net official development assistance, and net official and private flows combined, that the United Kingdom provided to developing countries in 1986, as a percentage of gross national product.

Mr. Chris Patten

In 1986, Britain provided net official development assistance equivalent to 0.32 per cent. of GNP. For net official and private flows combined the provisional estimate is 1.34 per cent. of GNP.

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