§ Mr. LyonsTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures her Department is taking to increase EU aid to poor people in the poorest countries. [59642]
§ Clare ShortWe published a revised strategy for improving the poor performance of the European Community development programme in August 2001, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. We welcome the positive steps that have recently been taken, including establishment for the first time of an EC Development Policy with poverty reduction as the central objective. The Commission are also delegating significant new responsibilities to their offices overseas in order to improve communication with developing country partners and cut delays. The Government is working with other member states, the Commission and the European Parliament to try to ensure that these measures begin to have an impact on the ground and allow the European Community to make a much more significant contribution to achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. We are also working to try to reach agreement that a much greater share of EC aid should be allocated to low income countries where it will have the greatest impact on poverty reduction. In 2000, only 38 per cent. of EC aid was spent in low—income countries compared to 70 per cent. in 1990.
Our objective is to reverse this decline in order to secure radical improvement in the effectiveness of EC aid. Not all member states, Commissioners or MEPs support this objective.
434WThe Government will continue to push for allocations based on developmental needs to countries committed to reducing poverty through all the channels available to us including the 2003 budget negotiations and the revision of the Asia and Latin America Regulation.