§ Sir Alastair GoodladTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of her Department's programme multilateral contributions was spent on the European Community in(a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98; what percentage is planned to be so spent in 1998–99; and in each case what are the sums involved. [32090]
§ Clare ShortIn 1996–97, around £151 million was spent through the European Development Fund. We do not yet have final figures for aid expenditure attributed to this Department through the EC budget but estimate it at about £460 million. Together these figures would represent some 60 per cent. of our multilateral expenditure in 1996–97.
In 1997–98, planned EC expenditure is £659 million. This represents around 60 per cent. of my Department's multilateral budget.
Future years' expenditure is currently being considered within my Department's resource allocation round.