HC Deb 04 July 1973 vol 859 cc527-8
27. Mr. Roderick

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for giving special help to the drought stricken areas south of the Sahara.

29. Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress in bringing relief to the drought stricken areas of the Sahara.

The Minister for Overseas Development (Mr. Richard Wood)

I refer hon. Members to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) on 13th June and to the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Frank Allaun) on 20th June. A Royal Air Force reconnaissance team is in West Africa looking into the need for more aircraft to move food. This morning I had a report from the team leader in Dakar which shows that, with one exception, enough aircraft are already available; but there is a need to move food from Dakar to Bamako, in Mali. We intend to meet this need, provided the Government of Senegal agree. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has confirmed that RAF Hercules aircraft are available for this task.

Mr. Roderick

I am grateful to the Minister for that reply. It has been felt for some time that we have not been acting as urgently as we might in dealing with this problem. Will the right hon. Gentleman tell us how many aircraft we have available for use, how many we are likely to put at the disposal of the authorities, and when we shall put them at their disposal?

Mr. Wood

If the necessary formalities can be completed, I hope that the aircraft will be in the area before this weekend. There are three Hercules aircraft standing by at quite short notice and they will go to the area concerned. I think that they will be sufficient to carry out the task that has been identified for them. If they are not sufficient, my right hon. Friend has promised to consider the needs in the light of what we find after the aircraft begin their operations.

Mr. Allaun

I appreciate the answer that the right hon. Gentleman has given. However, why is it that whereas Belgium has had three Hercules aircraft out there for a month and America has had four aircraft, we have not yet sent one? As the reconnaissance team went nearly a fortnight ago, what has held up, and what is holding up, the use of aircraft, particularly when the rains have begun to make the roads impassable and have put 2 million people in extreme danger?

Mr. Wood

I think that the hon. Gentleman is making difficulties that do not exist. I told him a few days ago that a team was going out. The team reported only this morning that there is this need. I have decided that the need should be met, and the aircraft will be there within two or three days.

Mr. Pavitt

In this instance has the special machinery of the United Nations 24-hour relief and stockpiling, which was agreed two years ago, been in use? If not, will the right hon. Gentleman make inquiries about that?

Mr. Wood

The problem is largely one of moving food from certain points to other points in the area. That is a need which the team went out to identify. It found that there is the need that I mentioned in my answer, and that need will be met.