HC Deb 24 October 1988 vol 139 c39W
88. Mr. Andrew Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the European Community's aid budget is funded by him in the current financial year, and what trend that budget shows in real terms.

Mr. Chris Patten

We contribute 16.58 per cent. of the sixth European development fund, and paid 21.3 per cent. of aid financed from the Community budget in 1987, which is attributed to the British aid programme. I cannot yet give later figures.

The present EDF more than maintains the real value of its predecessor. We also judge that there was a slight real increase in budget-financed aid between 1985 and 1987.