HC Deb 11 July 1988 vol 137 cc11-2W
95. Mr. Dickens

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to assist in the improvement of the economic infrastructure of the world's poorest countries.

Mr. Chris Patten

In the allocation of our bilateral aid resources, most of which go to the poorest countries, we fully recognise the importance of efficient infrastructure. For example, we are involved currently in support for the power, coal and railway sectors in India, roads in Malawi, Kenya and Tanzania, water in Ghana and power generation in the Sudan. The substantial funds we provide through multilateral institutions, particularly the International Development Association, the regional development banks and the European Development Fund are used extensively to improve the economic infrastructure of the poorest countries.