§ 8. Mr. Wallasked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will make a further statement on the suspension of aid to Malta.
§ 12. Mr. Fisherasked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she has concluded her negotiations on aid with the Government of Malta.
§ Mrs. HartNegotiations are not yet concluded. I cannot therefore yet make a statement, but I shall do so as soon as possible.
§ Mr. WallIs the right hon. Lady aware that this means that aid has now been suspended to Malta for more than a year? Is this not unparalleled action to take against a friendly Commonwealth country? Is it not beginning to lead to interference in the internal affairs of Malta?
§ Mrs. HartI hardly think so. In fact, the development of Malta has not been held up, because it has been financed by short-term borrowing. We hope that we can reach agreement with the Malta Government. We believe that we have made every reasonable endeavour to do so, and I shall make a statement as soon as I can.
§ Mr. FisherIs this not a great reflection on the competence of Her Majesty's Government? I have been engaged in such negotiations and they have never taken a year to complete on a matter of relatively minor financial importance to the United Kingdom. If the right hon. Lady cannot give the whole of what Malta wants, would she direct her mind to a compromise solution to complete this matter quickly?
§ Mrs. HartAny fair-minded person would be bound to recognise that we have made the maximum effort over a period to reach agreement with Malta. We have not yet succeeded in doing so. We shall go on trying. Until we do, it is best that I do not go into great detail about the whole matter.
§ Mr. FisherIn view of the very unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I wish 588 to give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment.