International Development Bill
|
 | |
| |
[Note: The Bill was presented under S.O. No. 50]
A
B I L L
TO
Make provision relating to the provision of assistance for countries outside the United Kingdom; to make provision with respect to certain international financial institutions and the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission; and for connected purposes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-
|
| |
PART I |
| |
ASSISTANCE |
| |
Provision of assistance |
| Development assistance. |
1. - (1) The Secretary of State may provide any person or body with development assistance if he is satisfied that the provision of the assistance is likely to contribute to a reduction in poverty.
|
| |
(2) In this Act "development assistance" means assistance provided for the purpose of-
|
| |
(a)furthering sustainable development in one or more countries outside the United Kingdom, or |
| |
(b) improving the welfare of the population of one or more such countries. |
| |
(3) For the purposes of subsection (2)(a) "sustainable development" includes any development that is, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, prudent having regard to the likelihood of its generating lasting benefits for the population of the country or countries in relation to which it is provided.
|
| Development assistance for UK overseas territories. |
2. - (1) The Secretary of State may also provide any person or body with development assistance in a case where the requirement of section 1(1) is not met, if the assistance is provided in relation to one or more United Kingdom overseas territories.
|
| |
(2) For this purpose "United Kingdom overseas territory" means a territory mentioned in Schedule 1 to this Act.
|
| |
(3) The Secretary of State may by order amend that Schedule by making additions to or deletions from the list of territories for the time being set out there.
|
| Humanitarian assistance. |
3. The Secretary of State may provide any person or body with assistance for the purpose of alleviating the effects of a natural or man-made disaster or other emergency on the population of one or more countries outside the United Kingdom.
|
| Supplementary powers. |
4. - (1) The Secretary of State may with a view to preparing for or facilitating the exercise of his powers under section 1, 2 or 3-
|
| |
(a) enter into arrangements with any person or body (including arrangements to provide assistance), or |
| |
(b) carry on any other activities. |
| |
(2) The Secretary of State may-
|
| |
(a) support, by way of subscription or otherwise, any organisation that exists (wholly or partly) for one or more relevant purposes, |
| |
(b) contribute to any fund that is intended to be used (wholly or partly) for one or more relevant purposes, or |
| |
(c) promote, or assist any person or body to promote, awareness of global poverty and of the means of reducing such poverty, |
| |
if he is satisfied that to do so is likely to contribute to a reduction in poverty.
|
| |
(3) Subsection (2) is without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1).
|
| |
(4) For the purposes of subsection (2) "relevant purpose" means-
|
| |
(a) a purpose mentioned in section 1(2)(a) or (b) or 3, or |
| |
(b) a purpose that broadly corresponds to such a purpose. |
| |
Form of assistance |
| Meaning of "assistance". |
5. - (1) For the purposes of this Act references to "assistance" are to assistance in any form or of any nature, including-
|
| |
(a) financial or technical assistance, and |
| |
(b) assistance consisting in a supply of materials. |
| |
(2) In subsection (1) "technical assistance" includes assistance that-
|
| |
(a) consists in know-how in the form of personnel, training or the provision of the results of research, or |
| |
(b) is provided in the form of a scholarship. |
