Written question asked by Nicholas Winterton (Conservative) on Monday, 18 May 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 1 June 1998. It was answered by Clare Short (Labour) on Monday, 1 June 1998 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Dept for International Development

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will calculate the total amount (a) of aid given to developing countries by the United Kingdom and (b) received from these countries by the United Kingdom in debt service in 1997. - Includes figures.

Answer: Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will calculate the total amount (a) of aid given to developing countries by the United Kingdom and (b) received from these countries by the United Kingdon in debt service in 1997. [43091] Clare Short: The latest figures available for development assistance provided from Department for International Development programmes are for 1996-97, when development assistance (excluding administration costs, but including contributions to multilateral organisations) to developing countries amounted to £1,837.8 million. Figures for 1997-98 will not be available until the end of the year, when they will be published in the 1998 edition of British Aid Statistics. Debt service received by the Department for International Development in respect of outstanding bilateral aid loans amounted to £43 million in 1996-97: principal repaid is retained for use within the development assistance budget. Other debt service repayments in respect of other bilateral debt agreements are a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Secondary information