§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much he expects to spend on overseas aid in 1988–89.
§ Mr. Chris PattenI am pleased to say that as a result of the agreed carry-over of aid programme underspending in 1987–88, almost entirely due to the exceptional under-spending by the European Community of aid attributable to its programmes, the public expenditure provision for overseas aid in 1988–89, planned at £1,337 million, has been increased to £1,387 million. The increase will be charged to the Reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure. Parliamentary approval of the resulting increase in voted provision will be sought in a Spring Supplementary Estimate. On present plans the aid programme will be fully spent.