§ 36. Mr. Luceasked the Minister of Overseas Development over how many years the current aid programme to Vietnam will continue.
§ Mrs. HartI expect present commitments to end by about the middle of next year, other than any requirements for disaster and humanitarian aid.
§ Mr. LuceThe Minister recently announced in a written answer to a question of mine that £7.4 million-worth of British taxpayers' money was to be spent to enable Vietnam to purchase from Britain cargo ships and gas turbines. How can she possibly justify a decision to spend taxpayers' money on supporting a satellite of the Soviet Union, a country which pursues anti-Western policies, which has recently invaded Cambodia 1095 and which shows a gross abuse of human rights?
§ Mrs. HartThe hon. Gentleman is being a little unfair. My answer two or three weeks ago was that we expected present commitments to end in about the middle of next year and that we did not propose to begin any new bilateral aid other than to meet requirements for disaster and humanitarian aid, as I have just said.
The commitments on the contracts for the cargo vessels and gas turbines were, as I have already explained, long-standing, dating back to July 1977 and February 1978 respectively. I do not know whether the hon. Gentleman believes that in relations with companies and workers in this country the British Government should renege on commitments. We do not.
§ Mr. LitterickDoes my right hon. Friend agree that the invasion of Vietnam by China is a disaster which should warrant the consideration of this country's aid policy towards Vietnam and the continuation of the aid?
§ Mrs. HartThat aspect of the matter is one on which my hon. Friend needs to put a question to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. There are genuine causes for concern about human rights, particularly in the southern part of Vietnam. Having studied all the evidence, 1096 I think that, unfortunately, there is a very difficult situation there.