§ The Earl of Sandwichasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have made, or will make, an analysis of the reasons for the higher expenditure on aid as a percentage of gross domestic product (a) in Ireland, at 0.3 per cent.; (b) in France, at 0.45 per cent.; and (c) in Holland, at 0.81 per cent.; compared with the United Kingdom at 0.26 per cent. (according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development figures for 1997); and whether any special factors emerge from such an analysis. [HL2718]
§ Lord WhittyThe overseas development assistance/gross national product ratios are calculated and analysed annually by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Levels of assistance provided by individual countries reflect their policy priorities. This Government have increased the priority given to international development and in line with their manifesto have started to reverse the decline in aid spending. On 14 July, my right honourable friend the Chancellor announced as part of the comprehensive spending review an increase of £1.6 billion in the International Development Budget over the next three years. Based on these figures, we anticipate an increase in the UK's overseas development assistance/gross national product ratio from 0.26 per cent. in 1997 to 0.30 per cent. in 2001.