§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of gross domestic product the overseas aid budget will be in 1994–95, assuming the figures for the growth of the economy given in the Budget.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI have been asked to reply.
The total provision for ODA's external assistance programmes, announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 30 November, amounts to 0.34 per cent. of forecast GDP in 1994–95, on the basis of the figures given in the Financial Statement and Budget Report. Not all of ODA's total provision counts as official development assistance under the OECD development assistance committee criteria. Internationally accepted ratios of overseas aid to gross national product (GNP) are calculated annually for the development assistance committee of the OECD, according to agreed international criteria and on the basis of expenditure by calendar year not on planning figures.