§ 29. Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Minister of Overseas Development what help she is giving to the Government of Malawi in connection with the building of their new capital at Lilongwe.
§ Mrs. HartNone. British Government aid to Malawi, which is currently over £8 million per year, is fully committed.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIn view both of the responsible nature of that Government and their friendlines to this country, is it not rather tragic that a project to which they attach the greatest importance has been left by Her Majesty's Government to be helped by other Governments.
§ Mrs. HartIt was a question of reaching the right decision on this and, as I think the right hon. Gentleman knows, it was a very difficult problem at the time. Again, I was somewhat involved in it. The problem is that development aid money from Britain must go to projects which have development value. If a country attaches importance to a project which intrinsically does not have development value, it is very difficult to justify giving aid for it. But we are giving very generous help to Malawi in many other directions.
§ Mr. William PriceIs my right hon. Friend aware that this is a controversial and dubious scheme and, in a nation where one child in two does not live to the age of five, there are far better ways of spending money?
§ Mrs. HartI am sure that my hon. Friend will understand that I would not want to comment on judgments made in Malawi by the Malawi Government about this problem.