§ Mr. StrangTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has put forward any proposals to the World Bank to reduce the burden of debt on third world countries.
§ Mrs. ChalkerBritain has taken the lead in international efforts to provide debt relief for the poorest and most heavily indebted countries. In Trinidad last September, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, put forward proposals for increasing the relief available under earlier schemes. He proposed a reduction of two thirds in the official bilateral debt of eligible countries, with the remainder rescheduled over 25 years.