Clause 6 - Financial assistance
International Development Bill
2:45 pm
Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park, Liberal Democrat)
I shall be even more brief. I do not think that I should support the amendment. By way of explanation, I refer the hon. Lady to clauses 1 to 3, which I think are the most important clauses in the Bill. Loans would in any case be granted only if they were
``likely to contribute to a reduction in poverty'',
or for the purpose of
``furthering sustainable development''
``improving the welfare of the population'',
or if they were, in the opinion of the Secretary of State,
``prudent having regard to the likelihood of ... generating lasting benefits for the population''.
No Secretary of State in his or her right mind who was mindful of those clauses would give an excessive loan to a country that was already terribly in hock to the world community. The hon. Lady should refer constantly to those clauses because they are the conditions of the Bill.