§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many scholarships have been offered in the United Kingdom to citizens of Bangladesh in each of the last 10 years out of United Kingdom public funds.
§ Mr. EggarThe number of new scholarships and awards financed each year is as follows:
Year Number 1979 214 1980 222 1981 263 1982 283 1983 325 1984 302 1985 265 1986 265 1987 340 1988 n/a Most of these awards (322 in 1987) have been provided through the Overseas Development Administration's technical co-operation training programme. Awards have also been provided through the Commonwealth scholarship and fellowship scheme, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office scholarships and awards scheme, the Department of Education and Science overseas students research awards scheme and through the British Council. Many awards are for a period of more than one year, so the total number of supported students and trainees in the United Kingdom in any year is much larger (more than 620 in 1987) than the number of new awards.
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what levels of aid from multilateral and bilateral sources have been made to Bangladesh in each year since 1979.
§ Mr. EggarThe information requested in respect of British aid is as follows:
Year British bilateral aid British aid through multilateral channels £ '000 Total 1979 33,826 n/a n/a 1980 66,190 13,340 79,530 1981 33,383 17,350 50,733 1982 23,537 23,450 46,987 1983 24,728 24,710 49,438 1984 35,656 27,170 62,826 1985 41,173 17,770 58,943 1986 38,321 17,820 56,141 1987 34,842 n/a n/a Gross multilateral aid for 1979 was not split by recipient. Figures for 1987 (multilateral aid only) and 1988 are not yet available.
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid was offered to Bangladesh after the recent flooding.
§ Mr. EggarWe have committed £25 million in emergency and rehabilitation aid in response to the recent292W floods in Bangladesh. This includes 50,000 tonnes of food aid, £5 million through British and local voluntary agencies and a commodity aid grant of £15 million to help meet rehabilitation requirements.