Overseas Aid and Development Programme

Oral Answers to Questions — Overseas Development – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 29 February 1968.

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Photo of Mr Frank Judd Mr Frank Judd , Portsmouth West 12:00, 29 February 1968

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what will be the net cost of the British overseas aid and development programme in 1967–68 and 1968–69 as compared with the gross targets for those years after the receipt of interest and capital repayment on loans to the developing countries; and whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a detailed analysis of such repayments.

Photo of Mr Reginald Prentice Mr Reginald Prentice , East Ham North

The gross target for the basic aid programme in each year is £205 million. Figures for actual disbursements cannot yet be given. Capital repayments and interests together are expected to amount to about £53 million and £58 million respectively in the two years. I shall, with permission, circulate details in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Photo of Mr Frank Judd Mr Frank Judd , Portsmouth West

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that the amount of aid now

EXPECTED CAPITAL REPAYMENTS AND INTEREST PAYMENTS ON BRITISH GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC AID LOANS TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
£ million
1967–681968–69
CapitalInterestTotalCapitalInterestTotal
A. COMMONWEALTH
Europe and Middle East
Cyprus0·0420·0690·1110·1740·0640·238
Gibraltar0·0120·0120·0150·0140·029
Malta0·0930·3440·4370·1130·4150·528
Africa
West Africa
Gambia0·0020·0020·0020·002
Ghana0·3600·1780·5380·4900·1580·648
Nigeria1·004*1·5182·5221·253*1·5402·793
Sierra Leone0·2390·3580·5970·2440·3440·588
East Africa
Kenya0·6232·0812·7040·6502·0982·748
Tanzania0·0910·4710·5620·1500·4750·625
Uganda0·1980·8801·0780·4140·8691·283
General—Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda0·4920·7231·2150·5110·7781·289
Central and Southern Africa
Botswana0·0440·1010·1450·0470·0990·146
Lesotho0·0120·0270·0390·0150·0250·040
Malawi0·1540·2420·3960·1680·2610·429
Rhodesia0·1500·0840·2340·3260·2610·587
Swaziland0·0700·1500·2200·0880·1460·234
Zambia0·1720·2090·3810·1760·2000·376
Other Africa
Mauritius0·1570·2010·3580·1280·2010·329
Seychelles0·0050·0050·0050·005
St. Helena0·0010·0010·0010·001
America
Central and Caribbean
Cayman Islands0·0010·0070·0080·0010·0090·010
Honduras (British)0·0280·0440·0720·0270·0420·069
Jamaica0·1090·0740·1830·0720·0720·144
Montserrat0·0150·015
St. Vincent0·0010·0010·0010·001
Trinidad and Tobago0·0560·0560·0730·073
Turks and Caicos0·0030·003
Associated States
Antigua0·0130·0470·0600·0140·0460·060
Dominica0·0010·0010·0010·001
Grenada0·0610·0440·1050·0660·0420·108
St. Kitts0·0090·0090·0090·009
St. Lucia0·0020·0020·0040·0020·0020·004
General—West Indies0·0260·0140·040
South America
Guyana0·3630·7711·1340·3850·7491·134

coming back in the form of interests and capital repayments is extremely worrying, that loans are a most unfortunate form of assistance, and that we should move still further away from a reliance on loans as soon as possible?

Photo of Mr Reginald Prentice Mr Reginald Prentice , East Ham North

It is reasonable that a proportion of aid should be in the form of loans, but these loans should take account of the economic circumstances of the countries concerned. That is why one of the most important improvements in our aid programmes came about two or three years ago, when we moved in the direction of interest-free loans. About 90 per cent. of our new loans since then have been interest-free.

Following is the information:

£ million
1967–681968–69
CapitalInterestTotalCapitalInterestTotal
Asia (excluding Middle East)
Ceylon0·4870·770·5640·4400·0550·495
Hong Kong0·2000·2000·2000·200
India10·9648·51919·48312·8568·19421·050
Malaysia0·8550·0450·9000·8550·0290·884
Pakistan2·1561·5373·6932·3361·7304·066
Singapore0·0140·0140·1890· 189
Oceania
Fiji0·0430·1230·1660·0460·1200·166
Tonga0·0040·0040·0080·0070·0040·011
General
Commonwealth Development Corporation (Exchequer Advances)1·1213·6134·7341·9305·5737·505
Total20·39222·61543·00724·40824·69249·100
B. FOREIGN
Europe and Middle East
Iran0·1720·1720·2290·229
Republic of S. Yemen0·1400·1890·3290·1410·1840·325
Turkey1·0260·0991·1251·6030·.2341·837
Yugoslavia2·1250·5282·6531·2950·0581·353
Africa
North Africa
U.A.R. (Egypt)0·4800·1420·6220·4800·1190·599
West Africa
Cameroons0·0170·0420·0590·0090·0200·029
Liberia0·0140·0140·0140·014
East Africa
Sudan0·2910·2910·3200·3060·626
America
South America
Argentina1·6040·5312·1351·9760·4362·412
Bolivia0·0360·0110·0470·0360·0090·045
Brazil1·0030·2171·2200·6040·1560·760
Chile0·4380·2910·7290·6320·2560·888
Ecuador0·0150·0150·0220·022
Peru0·0210·0210·0340·034
Asia (excluding Middle East)
Afghanistan0·0220·002
Korea (South)0·0230·0230·0320·032
Nepal0·0260·0350·0610·0260·0370·063
Total6·8952·6219·5167·1242·1469·270
Grand Total27·28725·23652·52331·53226·83858·370
*Excludes interest-free loan for compensation for Special List "B" officers, repayments of which vary with numbers retiring.