§ 28. Mr. Chapmanasked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she will make a statement about the establishment of a development division in the Caribbean.
§ Mr. OramThe British Development Division in the Caribbean will be situated in Barbados. Mr. W. L. Bell, formerly a Permanent Secretary in the service of the Government of Uganda, has been appointed Head of the Division and will start work in my Ministry at the beginning of January. I hope that, with the appointment of other members of the staff, the Division will become operational in the spring of next year.
§ Mr. ChapmanOnce again may I offer congratulations to my right hon. and hon. Friends on the speed they are putting on in the Caribbean? Will this body co-ordinate plans from the Leeward and Windward Islands for submission to the International Development Association in an effort to get some money out of that body? What will be the relationship of this body to the joint international consortium which was mentioned in the Answer to Question No. 20?
§ Mr. OramAs to the function of this Development Division, I refer my hon. Friend to the Answer he received on 1st June, from which he will see that this Division will have satisfactory relationships with the two bodies referred to.