§ 16. Mr. Rankinasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the fact that a second cyclone has hit Mauritius, what further sum he now proposes to give to the relief fund for the victims of both cyclones to meet their immediate and urgent needs.
17. Mr. Creech Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the extent of the financial relief now to be given to Mauritius as a result of the two recent cyclones; what is the estimated damage done to the sugar plantations; and whether any of the relief will be available for their rehabilitation.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodAs I have already made clear to the House, the amount of £2 million to be made available, subject to necessary Parliamentary approval, by loans and grants in respect of cyclone "Alix" will need to be increased as a result of cyclone "Carol." I have arranged for a full assessment to be made of the damage caused in Mauritius by the two cyclones, and of the cost of the relief and reconstruction measures required. The full amount of financial assistance to be given to the Mauritius Government by Her Majesty's Government, and the purposes for which it will be used will be determined when this assessment is complete. It is estimated that as much as 60 per cent. of this year's sugar crop may prove to have been lost.
§ Mr. RankinI appreciate the long-term plans of the Government for redevelopment in Mauritius, but does the right hon. Gentleman realise that something has to be done now? Would he 617 make clear exactly what monetary aid the Government are giving at present? There are many expenditures which must be made immediately on such things as temporary house dwellings, and the money is needed. Will the right hon. Gentleman tell the House that a grant of, say, £100,000 is now being given to the relief fund?
§ Mr. MacleodI am, of course, much more concerned at the moment with the short-term than with the long-term. We have tried in every way that we can— and I am making a detailed statement today in response to a Written Question by the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. G. M. Thomson)—to anticipate all the needs, with, so the Governor tells me, some considerable success. But nothing is being held up for lack of money, and I do not think that it would be proper, in view of the very severe disaster, when we know that our help will have to be in terms of millions of £s, to make a second token payment which, against the need, would at this stage be derisory.
Mr. Creech JonesIs the insurance fund which was created a few years ago proving adequate to cover the damage done to the sugar crop? If it appears to be inadequate, would the Colonial Secretary consider whether there should be some extension or revision of the existing insurance scheme, or whether some larger and wider scheme should be made to incorporate a whole number of territories that are subject to this kind of calamity?
§ Mr. MacleodThe right hon. Gentleman is quite right. There is a cyclone insurance fund, and that will certainly be adequate to meet the damage to the sugar crop. The Mauritius Government have reinsured a considerable amount of the sum, which runs into some millions of £s, and I am assured that there will be no difficulty in meeting the planters' claims.
§ Mr. G. M. ThomsonIn order to make the matter clear, can the right hon. Gentleman tell us—since there was this second tragic cyclone—the total sum given to meet the important and urgent emergency needs? Would he consider publishing, perhaps, a White Paper on the long-term aspects, so that we might study such very difficult problems as more permanent housing?
§ Mr. MacleodAs the hon. Gentleman will see, I have given a very full reply today to what now appears as a Written Question by him. In agreement with the Governor, what we have been trying to do is to provide for the ordinary needs of people—which are always the same when tragedies like this happen—for food, shelter, warmth, clothing, blankets, medical supplies and trained personnel—
§ Mr. RankinAnd money.
§ Mr. Macleod—yes, but I have said that none of these things is being held up for lack of money. They are all flowing as quickly as they can to Mauritius, and my housing adviser is going to Mauritius in order to carry out a survey in relation to long-term rehabilitation of destroyed housing.