Least Developed Countries

HC Deb 23 November 1995 vol 267 c245W

Mrs. Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of(a) bilateral and (b) multilateral aid the United Kingdom allocates to those least developed countries which have a per capita gross national product of less than $750 US per year. [1550]

Mr. Hanley

It is not practicable to allocate aid channelled through multilateral agencies, nor some bilateral aid—notably block grants to NGOs and other agencies—to specific recipient countries.

Of United Kingdom 1994–95 bilateral aid which can be allocated to countries, for all recipients, both developing and transitional:

• 36 per cent. went to countries on the UN's list of Least developed countries (LLDCs)
• 69 per cent. went to low income countries (defined as those with per capita incomes of less than US$676 in 1992)

For developing country recipients only the equivalent figures are 38 per cent. and 73 per cent. respectively.