§ 2. Mr. Hooleyasked the Minister of Overseas Development what studies his Department is making of the development of intermediate technology as an aid to developing countries.
§ Mr. OramThe Tropical Products Institute, which is one of the Ministry's technical branches, has for many years been advising developing countries on the use of appropriate technology for the development of indigenous industries, and is itself developing new processes or equipment where appropriate ones are not available. Advisory and development work on agricultural machinery is being done at the Ministry's expense by the Overseas Liaison Unit of the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering. We are in close touch in a number of ways with the Intermediate Technology Development Group.
§ Mr. HooleyI welcome that reply. Is the Minister aware that there is a school of opinion which believes that this is a valuable form of aid to developing countries, which could also be of benefit to our own companies who are exporting small tools, and so forth?
§ Mr. OramYes, I am well aware of this school of opinion, and my right hon. Friend and I had a meeting with leading personalities in the Intermediate Technology Development Group only this week.