§ 18. Mr. Wallasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the estimated cost of the damage in Mauritius due to the recent hurricane; and what arrangements are being made to finance the work of reconstruction.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodMy Answer last Thursday to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Rankin) set out the extent of the damage. Discussions with the Mauritius delegation have just begun and I am not yet able to make any statement about these.
§ Mr. WallDoes my right hon. Friend think that there will be sufficient funds available from various sources to rehabilitate the island?
§ Mr. MacleodI am not ready to make a statement about that. There are four Ministers from Mauritius in this country at present and financial discussions are going on at the moment with my Department.
§ Mr. CallaghanMay we take it that, in view of the very heavy loss sustained by Mauritius, this initial payment of £15,000 will not be a final payment but that the Government will be much more generous when they see the extent of the financial loss?
§ Mr. MacleodThe direct cost to the Government of Mauritius appears to be about £900,000. The proposals that have 1116 been put forward to Her Majesty's Government cover about £6½ million and, therefore, clearly go beyond the question of replacement and must be considered on the basis of comparative need as part of a reconstruction programme. As I have said, these discussions are going on, but I am afraid that I cannot anticipate their conclusion.