HC Deb 26 July 1990 vol 177 cc441-2W
Mrs. Clwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the total interest payments on the external debts of the least developed countries as a percentage of all official development assistance to this category of countries.

Mrs. Chalker

According to recent OECD figures, total interest payments made in 1988 by countries classified by the United Nations as least developed were US$2.2 billion. Official development assistance to this group of countries on a net basis—that is, after subtracting principal payments on concessional loans was US$13.9 billion. Figures for previous years, and provisional figures for 1989, are similar.

Mrs. Clwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries within the least developed country category that Britain has been able to assist to date through implementation of the Paris club Toronto terms; and if he will make a statement on the debt relief gained by these countries.

Mrs. Chalker

The countries within the United Nations least developed category which have so far rescheduled debt in the Paris club on concessional "Toronto Terms"

Year Per cent.
1979 77
1980 67
1981 67
1982 70
1983 66
1984 61
1985 63
1986 71
1987 70
1988 69
1989 Not yet available

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