HC Deb 29 July 1976 vol 916 cc873-5
Mr. Heath

(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government are ready to offer medical supplies and equipment to the Government of the People's Republic of China to help them to deal with the problems arising out of what is now apparently a major and tragic earthquake disaster.

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Anthony Crosland)

Yes, Sir. The Government are, of course, ready to do all that they can to help. Our Embassy in Peking was instructed yesterday to ask the Chinese authorities whether there is any assistance we can offer, for example, in the form of emergency and medical supplies.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has sent a message of condolence. I am sure that the whole House would wish to endorse his expression of sympathy to the Chinese Government and the Chinese people.

Mr. Heath

I am sure that the whole House and the people of Britain will welcome the Foreign Secretary's statement that the Government have already offered assistance in this matter and will join with the Foreign Secretary and Government in their expressions of sympathy.

Does the Foreign Secretary know whether any British citizens or visitors were in the locality of the earthquake when it occurred?

Mr. Crosland

As far as I know at present, all British subjects, certainly in Peking and, as far as can be ascertained, elsewhere in China, are reported safe and well. There has certainly been no suggestion of any British casualties in Peking itself.

Mr. MacFarquhar

Will my right hon. Friend also consider having talks with his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy with a view to offering assistance to the mining industry in this important mining town, which will have suffered greatly in the disaster, which will have caused great damage to the Chinese economy?

Mr. Crosland

I shall certainly consider that.

Mr. Churchill

I welcome the Foreign Secretary's statement of the action he has already taken, but will he in addition consider sending a Hercules aircraft with medical supplies and a medical team, and also not rule out sending a unit of the Royal Engineers, if such would be acceptable, to help in the reconstruction of water supplies?

Mr. Crosland

I am willing to consider any of these suggestions, but we first have to wait and see what answer we get from the Chinese Government to the offer we have made of any help that would be of use to them. In past cases of assistance of this kind the Chinese Government have been very self-contained in their attitude and have certainly not wanted very demonstrative offers of help from the West. But we have asked them what they want and we shall consider it in the light of their reply.