HC Deb 07 June 1951 vol 488 cc1191-4
1. Dr. Barnett Stross

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what recent provision has been made to release shipping for the transportation of grain and other foodstuffs to India in connection with the threatened famine in Bihar.

The Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations (Mr. Gordon-Walker)

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement that I made in reply to Questions on 31st May. Since then we have assisted India in chartering four more ships from the North American and Australian runs, and another five ships for moving grain from China, representing in all a further 80,000 tons of shipping. So far, therefore, this year we have assisted India in chartering over 90 ships with a total tonnage of over 800,000 tons.

Dr. Stross

Is it correct that the amount of grain now available in Southern Bihar is considerable and that the transport difficulties, particularly in Northern Bihar, referred to recently in the House have been overcome? Further, has any technical assistance been requested from us by the Government of India?

Mr. Gordon-Walker

To judge from statements made by Indian officials such as the High Commissioner in London and Ministers and officials in India, the situation seems to be better than it had once looked like becoming. I cannot, of course, answer about internal transport in India, but the Indian High Commissioner in London said the other day that the main difficulty was not to get food but to transport it from overseas, and that is the line on which we are now working.

Mr. Walter Fletcher

When the right hon. Gentleman says that he has assisted in obtaining or chartering 90 vessels, does that mean that any financial burden has been assumed by His Majesty's Government, or is it just technical assistance?

Mr. Gordon-Walker

No financial burden is being assumed, but these ships would, of course, otherwise have been used in the main for bringing to this country things which we very much want.

Mr. R. S. Hudson

The right hon. Gentleman says that there is no financial burden. I take it that these are not exclusively British ships. Surely on the freight market, there must have been a substantial rise in freights as a result of the Indians coming into the freight market on this scale, whether the ships are English or foreign. Has not that affected our interests?

Mr. Gordon-Walker

I did not say that it had not affected our interests, but, clearly, it is our duty to help another member of the Commonwealth in these ways. I am not sure whether it has put up freight rates or whether we have merely diverted important things which would otherwise have been brought here. I should be able to answer that question if notice were given.

9. Mr. Osborne

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what help he is sending to the Government of India to relieve the famine in Bihar where 20,000,000 people are threatened by death through starvation.

3. Wing Commander Bullus

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what requests he has received from the Government of India for assistance in the relief of Assam and Bihar who are experiencing a food famine.

Mr. Gordon-Walker

I would refer the hon. Gentlemen to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Sorensen), the hon. and gallant Member for Macclesfield (Air Commodore Harvey) and the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond) on 31st May.

Mr. Osborne

Could I ask the Minister two questions? Can he assure the House that everything this country could have done has been done to help in this case, and that the worst threat of mass famine has now passed?

Mr. Gordon-Walker

I think I can assure the House that everything that His Majesty's Government could do has been done. Also, India has made it quite clear that our aid in chartering ships was the really vital help they needed. I cannot answer questions that should be addressed to the Government of India, but from public statements it is gratifying that the situation appears to be a great deal better.

Mr. A. Edward Davies

Does the Minister agree with the contention in this question that 20 million people are threatened by death through starvation, and does not this conflict with the recent evidence we have had from the High Commissioner to which he has made reference? Secondly, whatever help my right hon. Friend is able to give—and we hope and expect it to be generous—will he resist tying to it any quid pro quo arrangements such as have been suggested from the other side? May we be assured that it will be given out of sheer good will and without any reference to bargaining?

Mr. Gordon-Walker

I certainly cannot accept the figure of 20 million people. I repeat what I have already said, that there will be no bargaining in this matter. I should like to refer to part of a statement recently made by the Indian High Commissioner in India that exaggeration does as much harm as complacency in this matter.

Mr. Osborne

Since my figure has been challenged, and that has been accepted by the Minister, may I ask him if he is not aware that it came from a report in the "Economist," a most responsible newspaper, whose figures are usually accepted by His Majesty's Ministers?

Mr. Gordon-Walker

Whatever is accepted by His Majesty's Ministers, we are not responsible for internal events in India or for answering questions about them.

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