§ Mr. GapesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by how much the Overseas Development Administration budget would need to rise, in percentage and money terms, to maintain the value of the bilateral programme during the period 1996–97 to 1998–99. [41621]
§ Mr. HanleyIt is not possible to answer this question precisely, since there is scope to modify certain limited categories of multilateral spending such as contributions to new multilateral replenishments, or voluntary contributions to UN or Commonwealth bodies.
The latest relevant forecast, published in the 1995 departmental report, suggests that the increase required to maintain the value, in cash and real terms, of the bilateral programmes at the levels planned for 1995–96 in 1996–97 and 1997–98 is as follows:
£ millions Percentage 1996–97 Cash 81.0 3.6 Real 114.0 5.1 1997–98 Cash 155.0 7.0 Real 216.0 9.7