§ 40. Mr. James Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the sum total of aid given to Somalia for the years 1980, 1981 and 1982 respectively.
§ Mr. RifkindThe total development assistance given to Somalia in the years 1980, 1981 and 1982 was approximately £1.4 million, £1.1 million and £1.5 million. The 1982 figure is provisional. In addition, food aid and disaster relief have been provided, and special assistance has also been made available for refugees in Somalia. I am circulating details of these amounts in the Official Report.
§ Mr. JohnsonBearing in mind that Ethiopia, with the aid of the Soviet Union, is making constant attacks upon Somalia, is bent upon the destabilisation of the Horn, and has created at least 1 million refugees who have to be looked after in Somalia, cannot the Government give a little more than they are doing at the moment? In the wider context, cannot the Minister talk to his fellow Ministers 664 and get them to do something, together with the Americans, the EC and others, to deal with the destabilisation of the Horn and so prevent a disaster in the north-east of Africa?
§ Mr. RifkindThe hon. Gentleman is right to emphasise the refugee problem in Somalia. Over the past three years the United Kingdom Government have given some £2 million towards helping to deal with it. The sums to be given in general aid for Somalia for the next year are likely to represent a modest increase.
§ Mr. SeverI recognise the Minister's anxiety about this matter. Will he also accept that the stabilisation of Africa may depend on the outcome of current circumstances and that, apart from the aid problem, the area's political importance deserves recognition?
§ Mr. RifkindI assure the hon. Gentleman that the Government recognise that the Horn of Africa is a sensitive area that deserves the recognition of its problems, such as the hon. Gentleman has mentioned.
§ Following are the details:
| Aid to Somalia in 1980, 1981 and 1982 included, in addition to development amounts (figures are rounded): | |||
| 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| Food Aid | 1,400,000 | 1,200,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Disaster Relief | 2,000 | 141,000 | — |
| Financial Years | |||
| 1980–81 | 1981–82 | 1982–83 | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| Refugee aid (cash grant to UNHCR) | 500,000 | 1,000,000 | 500,000 |
§ Sir Anthony Grant (Harrow, Central)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Do you recall that approximately a year ago you rightly reproved me and a number of other hon. Members for having tabled identical questions on the Order Paper since it had the effect of depriving hon. Members with questions in between of the opportunity to ask those questions? I recall apologising. Do you not think that questions 38, 49, 50 and 53 are sufficiently near in content as to be almost identical and that, if this practice continues, it will have the effect of preventing hon. Members with questions on different subjects getting the ear of the House?
§ Mr. SpeakerWith respect, I believe that there is one difference. The hon. Member is correct about the event a year ago, but there is considerable interest on both sides of the House in the second Brandt report. I honestly felt therefore that it was different in degree from the last occasion.