HC Deb 22 January 1970 vol 794 cc675-8
18. Mr. Tilney

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what extra money, following the end of the civil war in Nigeria, Her Majesty's Government are making available for Nigeria; and in what areas.

Mrs. Hart

As already announced, £5 million has been made available for relief and rehabilitation and this is now being drawn upon for various relief purposes.

Some discussions with the Nigerian Government about aid for rehabilitation have already taken place, and we aim to have further discussions with them as soon as they are ready.

Mr. Tilney

Will the £5 million be in the form of grant rather than loan aid?

Mrs. Hart

Yes, it will. It will be appropriate to the purposes for which we are now receiving requests from the Nigerian Government. For the most part, we suppose that it will be in grant form.

Mr. John Lee

Presumably this figure was assessed before the latest reports about conditions in Owerri and other areas were known. Will the figure be revised in an upward direction, which is clearly needed?

Mrs. Hart

We do not yet know what will be needed financially. That is why we decided to make so large a sum as £5 million available. We do not want any financial limitation on the help to be given. Should the money prove to be too little, we should want to look at it again.

Mr. David Steel

The reports coming out of the Biafran enclave suggest that there is an acute shortage of medical supplies. Will the right hon. Lady advise the Nigerian Government that there need be no delay in supplying them, because they could be air-dropped over the hospitals themselves?

Mrs. Hart

The Federal authorities of Nigeria, especially on the basis of Lord Hunt's visit, are aware of what we can supply and the speed with which we can do it.

20. Mr. Barnes

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will make a statement on the action she has so far taken to assist in the Nigerian relief operation.

21. Mr. Tilney

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what steps her Department is taking to assist with relief and rehabilitation in Nigeria.

Mrs. Hart

Relief is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; I am responsible for aid for rehabilitation and reconstruction. There is, of course, close co-ordination between our Departments.

Her Majesty's Government has so far been able to meet all requests received from the Nigerian Government. The overriding need has been for transport, aid 50 Landrovers and 18 4-ton lorries have been flown out. We have agreed to supply 110 lorries in all.

Of the 35 doctors and nurses we were asked to provide, 27 will have left by tonight, of which 18 are already in the forward areas. The others will follow. We have also sent 28 tons of medical supplies and 5 tons of vehicle spare parts. As previously announced. I have opened a list for doctors and nurses who would be willing to go at short notice to Nigeria in the event of our receiving a further request, and I am glad to say that 61 doctors and 155 nurses have so far responded to this appeal.

Following Lord Hunt's visit to Nigeria we have been asked to supply a large number of tents. These will be sent out by air as soon as possible.

We shall do our best to meet any other request which the Nigerian Government might make.

Mr. Speaker

Mr. Barnes.

Mr. Barnes

I will wait for the statement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

Mr. Tilney

Will the right hon. Lady ensure that any medical supplies are given to the needy and not sold to those who have no Federal money?

Mrs. Hart

These are all matters which arise from Lord Hunt's more detailed knowledge and the report that he has made to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. I would ask the hon. Gentleman to await my right hon. Friend's statement.

Mr. Goodhart

Will any members of the right hon. Lady's staff be going to the territory which was Biafra in order to assess the situation? If not, why not?

Mrs. Hart

One of my staff accompanied Lord Hunt on his visit, which included a visit to the territories affected. There are a number of people in my Ministry, including medical advisers, who have an intimate knowledge of the areas involved.

22. Mr. Prentice

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether the sum of up to £5 million, which has just been made available for relief and rehabilitation in Nigeria, will be provided from within the total figures previously announced for the overseas aid programme.

Mrs. Hart

Yes, Sir.

Mr. Prentice

Will my right hon. Friend accept that many of us who welcome the scale of the help that is to be provided for Nigeria nevertheless would wish it to be provided additionally at our own expense and not that of other countries which are very poor and have great need at present?

Mrs. Hart

The House will know that there is a contingency reserve element in the aid programme each year. It is this that we have been able to release for this purpose, as we do for many other emergency purposes at different points in time. There are no specific allocations to any other country having to be cut in order for us to make this £5 million available.