§ 10. Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Minister of Overseas Development what provisions; he intends to make this year for Egypt; and for what purpose.
§ Mr. Prentice£750 for completing the training of a U.A.R. laboratory technician in the United Kingdom, plus the cost of any other requests for technical
§ £850,000 in 1958–59 to an estimated £5.3 million in 1968–69.
§ Mr. JuddIs my hon. Friend aware of the current investigations into the considerable mineral resources of Botswana, and can he assure the House that Her Majesty's Government will see the country through to the exploitation of them so that the point of economic take-off can be reached as soon as possible?
§ Mr. OramI am aware that important copper deposits have been discovered in Botswana and that the United Nations Development Programme is at present undertaking a survey. It is a little premature to forecast the effect on Botswana's economy and, therefore, it is premature for me to be asked exactly for the guarantee which my hon. Friend seeks.
§ Following is the information:
§ assistance which we might agree to provide.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterWhile not quarel-ling with the trivial nature of these figures, does the right hon. Gentleman accept that it would be quite inappropriate to grant any appreciable aid to a country which is both unlawfully detaining British ships and planning military aggression against its neighbour?
§ Mr. PrenticeConsiderations of that kind are taken into account along with others. Certainly it is not the present intention to provide any substantial financial aid programme to the U.A.R.
§ Mr. ShinwellDoes my right hon. Friend really believe that any aid granted to the Egyptians will make them less subservient to the Soviet Union? Is he aware that President Nasser has just announced that in July he is asking all his friends in the Arab States to get ready for another act of aggression against the State of Israel?
§ Mr. PrenticeYes, Sir. As I said earlier, there is no intention to give any substantial financial aid to the U.A.R. The only kind of programme that we are engaged in is one of technical assistance on a very modest scale. I am sure that my right hon. Friend would not quarrel with that.