§ Mr. DavidsonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list those countries which meet the UN target of spending 0.7 per cent. of gross domestic product on international aid; if he will list those countries which have set a date by which they will do so; and if he will make a statement. [184135]
§ Hilary BennCountries that already meet the UN target of spending 0.7 per cent. of gross national income on official development assistance are:
- Denmark
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Sweden
Other countries that have set a date by which they will reach the 0.7 per cent. target are:
- Belgium
- Finland
- France
- Ireland
- Spain
On Monday 12 July, as part of the 2004 Spending Review, the Chancellor announced that UK ODA would reach nearly £6.5 billion a year by 2007–08. Total UK ODA as a proportion of GNI will rise from 0.34 per cent. (provisionally) in 2003 to 0.39 per cent. next year, 0.42 per cent. in 2006–07 and to 0.47 per cent. in 2007–08. The Government wishes to maintain these rates of growth in the overseas aid ratio which on this timetable would rise beyond 0.5 per cent. after 2008 and reach 0.7 per cent. by 2013.
The Chancellor's proposal to establish the International Financing Facility provides an additional means of significantly increasing investment in international development to address the funding gap. If the International Finance Facility (IFF) succeeds, total UK aid flows based on estimated disbursements from the IFF, excluding the debt service elements, could achieve the equivalent of 0.7 per cent. ODA/GNI earlier, by 2008–09.
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