HC Deb 01 June 1965 vol 713 cc1496-8
17. Mr. Chapman

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what plans she has now made to co-ordinate and extend the work of her Department in the Caribbean area.

Mrs. Castle

I am setting up a permanent advisory unit to be known as the Development Division of my Ministry in the Caribbean. It will give advice on technical and economic questions in connection with our aid programmes; and its staff will also be available to advise on development matters generally in the area. As its knowledge and experience of local conditions grow our aid and technical assistance should be of progressively greater value. Its first responsibilities will be in relation to the British dependent territories.

Mr. Chapman

Would my right hon. Friend accept the congratulations of both sides of the House, I am sure, for this absolutely first-class decision, which is streets ahead of anything which has been done in this respect before? Secondly, could she say where the headquarters of the mission will be, what kind of people are members of it and whether the mission will be co-ordinating plans of the area for submission to bodies like the International Development Authority?

Mrs. Castle

I thank my hon. Friend for what he has said. I have been pressed in the House to strengthen our representation overseas and this is an important step in that direction, which I am glad to be able to announce. With regard to the other points, I am afraid that the location of the division is still under consideration. It will be a small specialist unit with about half a dozen expert advisers on subjects such as development planning, finance, agriculture and other forms of expertise. Certainly, its purpose will be to give every possible help to the countries in the area in preparing their plans and in helping them to submit them to bodies which might provide finance.

Mr. Chapman

I am much obliged.

Mr. Hugh Fraser

While congratulating the right hon. Lady on what she has set up, I am sure that she will agree that the Caribbean, especially the British islands, are knee-deep in plans which have not been fulfilled, and that what is needed is some application of money and encouragement to private enterprise to invest in these areas. Will she agree that, in the past and today, planning is not what is needed? It is money and private enterprise.

Mrs. Castle

I cannot agree with the right hon. Member that there has been planning of the appropriate type to the extent needed in the areas. I think that there is a great gap there and, before the question of finance or in what form it should come arises, we must get the basic expertise at the disposal of these countries.

Mr. Hector Hughes

Is the Minister aware of the plans being promulgated and going forward in the Bahamas and Bermuda to co-ordinate the administration of justice there and to form a joint court of appeal for those islands? What assistance is she giving to that?

Mrs. Castle

I am afraid that that does not rank as development aid.

Mr. R. Carr

Would the right hon. Lady accept our congratulations on this decision? Is it intended to develop this office rather on the pattern of the existing Middle East Development Division? Has she in mind the possibility of associating other Commonwealth countries with this office, so that it might, in due course, become a Commonwealth development office?

Mrs. Castle

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his congratulations. Yes, it is our experience with the Middle East Development Division and the good work which it has done which has led us to extend this to the Caribbean. I hope eventually to be able to extend it to other regions as well. On the second part of the right hon. Gentleman's question, I think that, at this stage, we shall get it launched on our own basis, though, of course, we shall seek every opportunity to encourage Commonwealth help to go into that area.