HC Deb 20 March 1991 vol 188 c119W
Mrs. Clwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and ommonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 28 February,Official Report, column 564, what criteria were used to determine the eligibility of developing countries for old aid loans to be converted into grants; and whether these criteria remain the same in considering future conversions of aid loans to grants.

Mrs. Chalker

Britain decided to convert a numberr of outstanding aid loans into grants following a 1978 UNCTAD resolution. Eligibility was based on poverty

Year Net Aid programme in cash terms Percentage change on 1978–79 Net Aid programme in 1990–91 prices Percentage change on 1978–79
£ million £ million
1978–79 715 — 1,807 —

Year Expenditure Plans Percentage change on 1978–79 Expenditure Plans Percentage change on 1978–79
£ million £ million
1990–911 1,587 +121.9 1,587 -12.2
1993–94 1,860 +160.1 1,618 -10.5
1 Original planning figures. During 1990–91 the planned aid programme was increased to allow for additional expenditure on Zambia and the Commonwealth Development Corporation.