HC Deb 18 February 1960 vol 617 cc1411-2
40. Mr. Mason

asked the Prime Minister to what extent he promised aid for the Ghana Volta River project during his discussions with Dr. Nkrumah.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)

My talks with Dr. Nkrumah were confidential. But the hon. Member will realise that many important aspects of this bold and imaginative project are still under examination, so that it would have been premature to attempt to reach conclusions about external finance.

Mr. Mason

Is it not urgently desirable that these small States that have recently received independence should receive some economic aid from us? Is it not a fact that the Russians have been sending trade delegations, particularly, to Ghana with a view to weaning her away from the Commonwealth by offering such economic aid?

The Prime Minister

On the broad question, I think the economic aid this country has been able to give since the war is really a very fine record and one of which we all have reason to be proud. With regard to the particular project, there are of course, two separate questions. There is the financing of the smelter, which is now being studied by an organisation called Valco, which is a group of aluminium companies. There is also the project for the hydro-electric plant, and the International Bank has recently sent a mission to Ghana to appraise the economic aspects of that. While these two things are under discussion, the question of assistance from the United Kingdom or of the part we might play in a large, joint effort does not yet arise.