HL Deb 28 July 2000 vol 616 cc101-2WA
Lord Judd

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proportion of Gross National Product has been spent on official overseas aid and development programmes in each of the past five years; what proportion it is now anticipated will be spent in each of the next five years; and when it is expected that the 0.7 per cent of gross national product target will be met. [HL3539]

Baroness Amos

Figures for official development assistance as reported to the DAC of the OECD are based on expenditure in calendar years, and as percentage of GNP for the past five calendar years were as follows:

1995 0.29
1996 0.27
1997 0.26
1998 0.27
1999 0.23 (provisional)

The provisional oda/GNP ratio in 1999 shows a drop to 0.23 per cent. This is a statistical quirk due to the calendar year reporting required by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, while the timing of DFID commitments and expenditure is mostly based on financial years. The planned expenditure for the current financial year is the highest ever.

While all the elements that make up the figures are not under our control, we expect to record an oda/GNP ratio of 0.30 per cent in calendar year 2001, in line with the Government's commitment to reverse the decline in aid spending during this Parliament. Further, the Government has stated that it will ensure the ratio of oda to GNP will rise to 0.33 per cent by financial year 2003–04.

No assumptions on the oda/GNP ratio have been made beyond 2003–04.