§ 11. Mr. TynanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will take steps to reform the European aid budget so that it focuses on the needs of poor people. [92214]
§ Clare ShortI have been working to expose the inefficiency of the EC aid budget and mobilise a commitment to reform since 1997.
My Department published a revised strategy for improving the poor performance of the European Community development programme in August 2001. I welcome the positive steps that the reform process has taken, including establishment for the first time of an EC development policy which secured poverty reduction as the central objective. We continue to work for 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. Indications are that the 2001 figure shows an improvement. Our objective remains to reverse this decline in order to improve the focus and effectiveness of EC aid.