To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the European Community and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development studies of the needs of the Soviet Union for economic and development aid.

These studies are continuing. The European Commission should present an interim report to the Rome European Council on 27 and 28 October. The results of the IMF study, in which the OECD is participating, are expected to be available in December.