§ 56. Mr. Hillasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much grant-aid the United Kingdom has given to Sri Lanka in each of the past five years.
§ Mr. Neil MartenI shall circulate the figures in the Official Report, but for the calendar year 1981 it was £22,859,000.
This sum reflects the start of expenditure on the Victoria dam project. Our commitment for this project is £100 million, to be spent mainly in the financial years 1980–81 to 1984–85.
§ Mr. HillI congratulate the Minister on those figures. That Commonwealth country is very friendly with the United Kingdom. Has there been a shortfall in the finance available for the completion of the dam? If so, will it retard the completion date?
§ Mr. MartenNot as far as I know. The Sri Lanka Government have agreed to fund any overrun costs.
§ Mr. SeverI thank the right hon. Gentleman for his kind remarks about our late colleague, Mr. Frank McElhone. Opposition Members are saddened by his loss. He spoke for us on overseas matters. I hope to do some justice to his cause.
Is it true that the tea companies bring out of Sri Lanka far more in profits than our Government invest in overseas development and aid programmes?
§ Mr. MartenI am sorry, but I shall have to investigate that matter and write to the hon. Gentleman.
§ Following are the figures:
| Date | |
| 1977 | £3,933,000 |
| 1978 | £8,310,000 |
| 1979 | £12,242,000 |
| 1980 | £31,492,000 |