asked the Minister of Overseas Development what part of the overseas aid programme for 1978–79 she anticipates will be spent on bilateral aid and what part on multilateral aid, both in absolute figures and as a percentage of the total programme, basing the calculation on 1977 survey prices.

My present expectation is that bilateral disbursements in 1978–79 will total £481 million and multilateral disbursements £240 million, leaving £24 million still to be allocated, all at 1977 survey prices. These figures represent 64·6, 32·2, and 3·2 per cent. respectively of the gross aid programme of £745 million.