§ 7. Mr. James Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British aid to Somalia.
§ The Minister for Overseas Development (Mr. Richard Wood)We are at present providing technical assistance to Somalia at the rate of about £150,000 a year, of which £44,000 is for the training of Somalis in Britain. We are also making a grant of £56,000 in this financial year to help Somalia to fulfil its pensions obligations to officers of the former British Somaliland Protectorate.
§ Mr. JohnsonDoes the right hon. Gentleman accept that this is meagre and that we have a continuing legacy to our former dependencies—for instance, North Somalia, North Somaliland in the old days—particularly in the matter of teaching the English language? Will he ensure that a little more than this is done?