HC Deb 09 July 1984 vol 63 c693
42. Mr. Barnett

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will increase the present level of British bilateral aid to agriculture in Africa.

The Minister for Overseas Development (Mr. Timothy Raison)

Our bilateral aid is allocated on a country basis and not by economic sector, but I attach much importance to the development of agriculture in Africa and I am very ready to approve worthwhile proposals for aid for this purpose.

Mr. Barnett

I am grateful to the Minister for his reassurance of his commitment to agriculture in subtropical Africa. Will he bear in mind that the figures that he recently gave me show that since 1980 there has been a drop of about one third in aid to agriculture in tropical Africa, and that the current figure of aid for agricultural projects in tropical Africa is a paltry £15 million? I cannot believe that that is in line with the right hon. Gentleman's order of priorities. Can he give the House an assurance that commitments for the future mean that that decline will be reversed and that the aid that Britain is giving bilaterally to agriculture in Africa will increase?

Mr. Raison

The figures to which the hon. Gentleman refers are about project aid, and that is only part of the picture. Increasingly, aid today embraces programme and sector aid, which is not possible to allocate in this way. Project aid in other sectors, such as roads, can greatly benefit agriculture. I remain committed to the belief that the development of agriculture in Africa is of high priority.

Mr. Budgen

Before my right hon. Friend gives away more of the taxpayers' money to African countries, will he please have a word with the EEC Commission and remind it that dumping agricultural produce in Africa, such as maize in Tanzania, may deal with a short-term problem, but that in the long term it will create much greater difficulties?

Mr. Raison

The European Commission is aware of our views about food aid and our belief that it should not be used indiscriminately. It is fair to say that Commissioner Pisani has accepted this view and has supported us in our efforts.