§ 9 and 16. Mr. Haleasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether he is aware that over 200,000 Algerian refugees in Tunisia and in Morocco are in urgent need of assistance, and that the French embargo on supplies makes it almost impossible for British assistance to become effective; and what action he proposes to take;
(2) what response he has made to the appeal for assistance for Algerian refugees in Tunisia and Morocco made by the United Nations High Commissioner.
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI will, with permission, answer this Question and No. 16 together.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend gave on 17th June to the hon. Member for Gateshead, West (Mr. Randall). As my hon. Friend informed the hon. Member for Bristol, Central (Mr. Awbery) on 22nd June, according to recent estimates by the United Nations High Commissioner there are some 180,000 Algerian refugees in Tunisia and Morocco, and we are aware of their needs. There is no French embargo which makes it almost impossible for British assistance to become effective; therefore, no action is necessary in this respect.
§ Mr. HaleWill the right hon. Gentleman explain why these terribly unfortunate people—85 per cent. of whom are women and children, over 50 per cent. of whom are children and many of whom are living in the open air with no roof over their heads and are looking forward to facing the genuine rigours of the Tunisian winter with no protection from the elements—are receiving food supplied from Communist and Iron 1174 Curtain countries direct to Tunisia and direct to Morocco? Apart from the help, which we recognise and welcome, from Her Majesty's Government—we are not critical of this—[Interruption.] On a point of order. The right hon. Gentleman said that he was answering two Questions together and I am endeavouring to put two supplementary questions together. If hon. Members opposite try to bark me down while I am speaking about 180,000 starving people, they will have to carry me out the House to succeed in doing so.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I do not think that anyone is trying to bark down the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Hale). If the hon. Member will put his supplementary questions, we shall be all very interested to hear them.
§ Mr. HaleFurther to that point of order. All my hon. Friends will agree that a concerted effort was being made to howl me down on a question relating to suffering people. Whilst we appreciate that Her Majesty's Government have a very honourable record in connection with refugees in the course of this year—I do not want to sound critical—this is a very terrible problem, and the business of giving these refugees help month by month and not even providing the guarantee of permanent assistance is inadequate.
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI have done my best to listen to the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question. I agree that we have considerable concern about these people. We are anxious to help the United Nations High Commissioner in anything that he is trying to do. That is why we have given some help. Recently the French Government have said that they are willing to supply in future all the needs of these refugees. We must see how that offer turns out, but if the United Nations High Commissioner wishes to ask us for further help, of course we shall give it most sympathetic consideration.