HC Deb 25 June 1964 vol 697 cc594-6
2. Mr. Oram

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what provision is made by Her Majesty's Government for subsequent checking on the long-term effectiveness of technical assistance schemes.

Mr. Carr

British Embassies and High Commissions keep under review the progress and results of our work. In addition, specialist advisers and other staff from my Department make frequent tours overseas.

Mr. Oram

Is there not a considerable danger that money and effort can be wasted unless students and experts are followed up by some very adequate machinery, and is not the machinery which the Minister has now described rather inadequate for this purpose? Ought we not to be thinking of some thing specifically arranged for this follow-up process?

Mr. Carr

We are keen on this, but we must remember that the people whose work we are being asked to check are people belonging to other independent countries, and therefore the matter must be proceded with carefully and according to their wishes and susceptibilities. We are increasingly helped by gaining experience in this work and also by an exchange of experience with other countries.

Mr. G. M. Thomson

Has the Minister a regular arrangement by which people sent out by his Department on technical assistance schemes give a written report for his files and other interested bodies?

Mr. Carr

I am not sure that the Governments of other independent countries would like reports on matters in their countries written and recorded in our files. We must have co-operation and consultation which I think we are achieving, and I do not think that much money is being ineffectively used.

28. Mr. G. M. Thomson

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation if he will make a statement on the arrangements he makes for technical assistance schemes to be integrated with grants of capital assistance made by Her Majesty's Government.

Mr. Carr

My Department maintains close contact with the other Departments concerned with the object of associating technical assistance with capital aid whenever this seems desirable.

Mr. G. M. Thomson

Is the Minister aware that the Government prophesied that this year they would spend between £180 million and £220 million on overseas aid but that the figure has turned out to be £175 million, £5 million below the lowest estimate? Is not this because of the lack of integration of technical assistance and capital aid, and would it not be possible to do this more effectively if they were integrated, and we cannot integrate them till we have a Ministry which plans overseas spending and coordinates developments?

Mr. Carr

The figure of £175 million happens to be a record figure and illustrates the extremely rapid rate of expenditure over recent years. I do not believe it would have been any more or at a greater rate if there had been the Ministry to which the hon. Member referred.

Mr. K. Lewis

Is my right hon. Friend aware that we perfectly understand that Members opposite are very anxious to increase the number of Ministries, while we believe that the work of my right hon. Friend's Department at the moment is being perfectly effectively carried out without the addition of new Ministries?

Mr. Carr

I would certainly agree that a Ministry with a grandiose title does nothing of itself and is merely the answer when one has no other policy.