HC Deb 20 July 1965 vol 716 cc1321-3
13. Mr. Chapman

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what progress has been made towards formulating appropriate development projects in the Leeward or Windward Islands in a manner that will make them suitable for submission to the International Development Authority.

Mrs. Castle

The Islands are too small individually to be able to satisfy I.D.A. criteria in relation to the size of population and projects, but my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies is exploring, with the Chairman of the Regional Council of Ministers, the possibility of a joint approach to the International Development Association on their behalf as a group.

Mr. Chapman

Would my right hon. Friend put a bit of dynamite behind somebody on this issue? Is she aware that I have been pressing for a couple of years now that something ought to be done? Does my right hon. Friend realise that because of the history of the links of these islands with the mother country rather than with one another it is vital that the British Government should continuously take the lead in getting these projects formulated in this way?

Mrs. Castle

I am sure my hon. Friend would agree that if I had been Minister during all the years he has been asking all these Questions naturally decisions would have been taken a very long time ago, but we already, as my hon Friend knows, have taken very effective action in this area by setting up the Caribbean Development Division which will be able to help in this way in future. I would point out to my hon. Friend that there are difficulties about getting the I.D.A. interested, because it is reluctant to consider applications where the population to be served by a project is less than 250,000, and so we have to find group projects, and that is not very easy.

Mr. Longbottom

Apart from the talks going on now about the Caribbean development bank and various other things arising out of the initiative which the British Government have taken in association with other Governments, will this be the type of organisation through which the I.D.A. can work in this area?

Mrs. Castle

I could not say anything specific at the moment about the Caribbean development bank, but I agree that problems in this area are better tackled on a regional basis.

14. Mr. Chapman

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she accepts the 10-year development programme for the Leeward and Windward Islands prepared by Dr. Carleen O'Loughlin; and whether her announcement of interest-free loans applies to these territories and to this programme.

Mrs. Castle

Dr. O'Loughlin's report was not a development programme setting out objectives and priorities; but it is extremely valuable as an examination of the economic potential and capital needs of the islands.

I have under consideration the extension of interest-free loans to individual dependent territories. I shall deal with cases as they arise.

Mr. Chapman

But is my right hon. Friend aware of the extreme poverty of a number of these islands, and so will she not be misled by some average about the Caribbean but be willing to extend interest-free loans at least to the poorest of these islands for the development programme? Is it not time that we said plan by Dr. O'Loughlin and are going publicly that we accept the target of this to provide our share of the money over x number of years?

Mrs. Castle

Poverty, of course, is one of the criteria we bear in mind in deciding entitlement to interest-free loans, and we have this matter very much in mind in this context of the sums we are able to make available. I hope to be able to approve C.D. & W. allocations for the Windward and Leeward Islands and other territories very shortly.

Mr. Fisher

Would not the right hon. Lady agree that if these small islands were to form a sensible and strong federation we ought to be very generous indeed in giving the federation a chance of working and lasting, but that if they decline to help themselves by working together then perhaps we are under somewhat less of an obligation to them individually to give them aid to a greater extent than we do at the present time?

Mrs. Castle

I would certainly agree with the hon. Gentleman that federation, apart from political advantages, would provide a sounder basis for development.