Human Rights

HC Deb 28 November 1979 vol 974 cc1288-90

52. Dame Judith Hart

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on his policy on aid and human rights.

Mr. Hurd

Our aid policy takes into account considerations of human rights and with this in mind we keep under review the situation in individual recipient countries.

Dame Judith Hart

Given the very serious position of refugees from the military dictatorship of Latin America, particularly Chile and Argentina, will the Minister inform the House of the legal advice given to the Government about the recent statement of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees? Will he seek, in the light of that, to change the Home Secretary's decision to end the special programme for refugees from Latin America?

Mr. Hurd

I do not think that that arises specifically from the question on the Order Paper.

We are honouring existing commitments with Chile, inherited from the previous Administration, on scholarships for refugee students. The matter of human rights is part, but can only be part, of the considerations which we must now consider before deciding on the distribution of our aid programme.

Mr. Brocklebank-Fowler

Although I recognise the need for cuts in the aid programme, is my hon. Friend aware that many Government supporters are concerned lest the cuts should not form part of a coherent aid strategy? Will he ensure that his Department only makes cuts which will not do long-term damage to the effectiveness of the aid programme?

Mr. Hurd

We had to make a contribution this year, out of the promised aid programme, towards the Government's search for economies. That was absolutely right and inevitable. Now we must go on, exactly as my hon. Friend indicated, to look searchingly at the future level of the aid programme, its distribution and the principles which should be applied. That is the purpose of the review which is now taking place.

Mr. Ashley

Has the Minister received any representations from War on Want about the damage being done in these countries to which we are giving aid by the unscrupulous advertising of powdered baby milk with the consequent death and disease which results? If he has, what does he propose to do about it?

Mr. Hurd

I think that I have written to the right hon. Gentleman on this subject in the last few days. This is a complicated problem, which we are looking at. If the hon. Gentleman wants further information, perhaps he will table a specific question.

Mr. Ian Lloyd

Will the human rights which my hon. Friend is reviewing in the context of the general review of the aid programme include the human rights of British subjects and institutions that have been expropriated without compensation? Will he ensure that, in future, where massive British aid is going to any country which has adopted a policy of this kind, such aid has as its first claim the compensation of British citizens and institutions?

Mr. Hurd

Different situations need different handling. However, I agree that, when deciding on the distribution of our aid programme, the treatment which a possible recipient country accords to British individuals and British interests is certainly an important factor.

Mr. John Grant

What representations have the Government made to recipients of overseas aid where they believe that there has been a violation of human rights?

Mr. Hurd

We do not believe that it is sensible to generalise too much about human rights. We believe that it is the job of the British Government to try to make the world a slightly more decent and humane place. Where there are flagrant violations, we consider in each case how best we can improve the situation. We have done this in the case of several Eastern European countries and in the case of several countries in the developing world.