§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account he takes of military spending by recipient countries in deciding the allocation of aid resources.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe United Kingdom actively supports the increased emphasis placed by the donor community, including the International Monetary Fund and the World bank, in their relations with developing countries on the implications for economic and social development of an excessive level of military expenditure. We have made it clear that we consider the setting of an appropriate level of military expenditure to be an important part of good government. It is one of the factors we take into account when deciding our allocations of bilateral aid.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for analysing contributions to overseas aid in terms of allocation to(a) basic education, (b) primary health care, (c) safe drinking water, (d) adequate sanitation, (e) family planning aid and (f) fair distribution of resources between different groups.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe ODA has recently introduced a computerised policy information marker system which records both expenditure and future commitments against the seven priority objectives of the aid programme outlined in the ODA's 1994 departmental report. Spending commitments in the areas listed in the question will not be shown separately under the PIMS system but will score against some of ODA's seven objectives, such as human development, including better education and health and children by choice and direct poverty reduction. PIMS data will be drawn upon in the series of biennial monitors' reports which will assess performance, including spending performance, against each of the objectives, and consider what lessons this may have for future strategy and allocation of resources.