§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What proportion of the United Kingdom aid budget is now spent through the European Union; and how far the political structures of the European 27WA Union help or hinder the fulfilment of the policy priorities of the Department for International Development. [HL1699]
§ Baroness AmosUnder a formula agreed in 1992, our contributions to the European Community's external assistance programmes absorb approximately 30 per cent. of the Department for International Development's budget. In December 1998, we published a strategy for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of European Community development programmes in order to increase their impact on our poverty reduction objectives. Since then, and in line with UK aims, the number of Commissioners responsible for external spending has been reduced from five to two. The successor to the Lome Convention has been agreed with a much sharper poverty focus and the Commission has tabled a draft development policy statement. Both the Development Commissioner, Poul Nielson, and the External Relations Commissioner, Chris Patten, have stated their commitment to poverty elimination. They and Vice-President Neil Kinnock are reviewing procedures with a view to thorough reforms. We support and encourage them to carry this through urgently.