§ Sir Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money in pound sterling the European Commission contributed to the South African Council of Churches and related bodies between 1986 and 1990; what was the purpose of this funding; and what steps have been taken by the European Commission to establish how the cash has been used.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe European Community committed the equivalent of a total of £77 million, at current exchange rates, during the period 1986–90 for specific projects recommended by the South African Council of Churches, the South African Catholic Bishops' Conference, the Kagiso Trust and certain trades unions. The purpose of this expenditure was to support organisations providing assistance to South Africans disadvantaged by apartheid, focusing largely on education and community and social development. All the funds were channelled through European non-government organisations, which were required by the European Commission to report on their use and to provide satisfactory accounts. The Commission also carried out physical monitoring on a sample basis.