HC Deb 19 April 1993 vol 223 cc29-30W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the announcement by the European Commission on 24 March of five priority areas for member states' policies on development aid.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The Council of Development Ministers chaired by my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development in November 1992 set out overall objectives for Community and member states' aid and a timetable for future work. This included a review by the Commission of Council resolutions and conclusions adopted since 1981. The results of this review have now been sent by the Commission to the Council and are summarised in the announcement made by the Commission on 24 March. The Council will consider them at its next meeting on 25 May.

We welcome much of the Commission's paper, but have questions about some aspects of it which we shall raise with other member states and the Commission.