HC Deb 07 February 1989 vol 146 c611W
Mr. Tom Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will express the difference as a plus or minus figure for the latest available year against 1979 in the level of net flows from the United Kingdom to developing countries, at 1979 prices.

Mr. Chris Patten

The difference between the level of net flows from the United Kingdom to developing countries in 1979 and 1987, at 1979 prices, is minus £5,584 million. The 1979 figures is dominated by an exceptionally high level of bank lending fuelled by the recycling of petro-dollars.

Mr. Tom Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will express the difference as a plus or minus figure for the latest available year against 1979 in the level of(a) public expenditure on aid, (b) the aid programme and (c) official development assistance, at 1979 prices.

Mr. Chris Patten

The latest year for which information is available is 1987. The information is:

  • Gross public expenditure on aid : minus £208 million.
  • Net aid programme : minus £228 million.
  • Net official development assistance : minus £388 million.

Mr. Tom Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the value at 1980 prices of net private flows from the United Kingdom to developing countries, for the latest available year, expressed in percentage terms of its value in 1979.

Mr. Chris Patten

The value at 1980 prices of net private flows from the United Kingdom to developing countries in 1987 expressed in percentage terms of its value in 1979 was 1.5 per cent.