HC Deb 03 March 2004 vol 418 c928W
9. Julie Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to increase aid to India. [157879]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

DFID provided £161 million of bilateral development assistance to India in 2002–03. In the New Delhi Declaration of January 2002 the two Prime Ministers, Tony Blair and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, looked forward to expenditure of over £300 million. We are making progress towards this budget and expect to be able to disburse some £200 million in 2003–04.