HC Deb 22 January 1988 vol 125 cc864-5W
Mr. Fearn

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government have any plans to review their policy on overseas development assistance; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Chris Patten

Policy on overseas aid is kept under continuous review. The 1988 public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 288 i. and ii.) published on 20 January shows that aid is now planned to grow in real terms up to 1990–91. The Government's observations on the Foreign Affairs Committee's Second Report, Session 1986–87, on bilateral aid (Cm. 225) published in October 1987 set out in detail the Government's aid policies and priorities.

Mr. Fearn

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has any plans to produce a new White Paper on overseas aid; when the last one was produced; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Chris Patten

The Government's observations on the Foreign Affairs Committee's report on bilateral aid (Cm. 225) are a detailed statement of aid policies and objectives. The last White Paper on overseas aid — "Overseas Development: The Changing Emphasis in British Aid Policies (Cmnd. 6270)"— was published in 1975.