§ 43. Mr. Baldryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent help has been made available to victims of drought in Africa.
§ Mr. RaisonSince I last reported to the House on 5 December we have committed about £3.6 million of disaster relief and bilateral food aid for drought relief in Africa, together with £2.57 million as our share of the European Community's programme. This brings our total commitment in 1983–84 to £21.82 million. In addition, we have recently undertaken to provide 10,000 tonnes of food aid to Zimbabwe.
§ Mr. BaldryWhat specific aid is the United Kingdom giving to Ethiopia?
§ Mr. RaisonMy hon. Friend knows that we have done a great deal for Ethiopia. Last year we provided 19,000 tonnes of food aid and contributed to the £7.5 million worth of food aid provided by the European Community's food aid programme and to the £750,000 worth of Community emergency food aid for Tigre and Eritrea. We have also helped in other ways.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleI welcome what the Government have done about famine relief in Africa. However, has my right hon. Friend heard the distressing reports of what is happening in Lesotho, and will he undertake to be sympathetic to any request for aid from that country?
§ Mr. RaisonI shall consider carefully any request for aid. I visited Lesotho last year, and anyone who goes there must develop some sympathy for it.
§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettCan the Minister estimate for how long the drought is likely to continue? Does he agree that, even if it rained within the next month or so, there would still be a food shortage in the area for some time?
§ Mr. RaisonOnly the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Small Heath (Mr. Howell), who was the responsible Minister in the Labour Government, would venture a prediction in that respect. However, this is a serious matter, which my Department is following closely.