To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the answer of 19 February 2008, Official Report, column 609W, on overseas aid, when he expects to announce the funding allocated to civil society through the Partnership Programme Agreement for 2008-09 to 2010-11; and whether he expects this allocation to increase in proportion to the overall change in his Department’s expenditure. (196766)

We informed Partnership Programme Agreement (PPA) partners on 28 February about their PPA funding allocation for 2008-09 to 2010-11. Each PPA partner will receive an increase of 3 per cent. per year over this period.

I anticipate that overall support to civil society through central schemes over the next three years will grow by around 50 per cent. in line with overall growth in the Department’s expenditure.