To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the evidence on which the Minister for Overseas Development based her statement of 8 November that British aid is focused on the poorest sectors and people within poor countries.

[holding answer 16 November 1990]: In my speech to the Refugee Council annual conference on 8 November, I said that the Government were focusing their growing assistance on the poorest countries, on the poorest groups within those countries, and the most vulnerable. In 1989 over 70 per cent. of our gross bilateral aid went to the poorest 50 countries compared with 63 per cent. in 1986. The report of the Public Accounts Committee published on 18 June 1990 recognised that the ODA's efforts to engage in direct poverty alleviation projects were yielding results. In India alone, our commitments to poverty alleviation activities now amount to £130 million with a further £60 million under consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the evidence on which the Minister for Overseas Development based her statement of 8 November that British aid is becoming more and more project orientated.

I have no recollection of using the words quoted by the hon. Member.