§ 7. Mr. Wallasked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will make a further statement on the suspension of aid to Lesotho.
§ Mrs. HartNo payments for budgetary or development aid have been made since 27th January this year and no new commitments are being made at present.
§ Mr. WallDoes the right hon. Lady realise that there will be a discontinuance of major development schemes as from 1st April. Surely all criteria for recognition have by now been considered. Why have the Government followed this strong line, which has been followed by no other Western country?
§ Mrs. HartWe are keeping a thorough watch on the situation in Lesotho and in our judgment the point has not arrived when we regard it as sufficiently clarified.
§ Mr. BraineIs it correct that our High Commissioner in Lesotho has been instructed not to have any form of communication with the Government of that country? If so, is that not entirely without precedent, and is it not incredibly stupid if the object of our policy is to encourage that Government to return to normalcy? How can the suspension of aid to Lesotho be reconciled with the statement by the Parliamentary Secretary a short time ago that aid should not be turned on and off like a tap for political reasons?
§ Mrs. HartWe are concerned here with a problem of recognition following a General Election in Lesotho. The first part of the Question, relating to the High Commissioner, is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary. But in general terms it is not a question of turning aid on and off like a tap. It is a question of recognition of a Government about which there is a great deal of confusion at the moment.
§ Mr. WallOn a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the 587 Answer, I give notice that I shall seek to raise this matter on the Adjournment.