HC Deb 19 March 1984 vol 56 cc701-2
40. Mr. Stuart Holland

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will increase economic aid and assistance to Nicaragua.

The Minister for Overseas Development (Mr. Timothy Raison)

The Government have no plans to increase bilateral aid to Nicaragua.

Mr. Holland

The Minister will realise that that hardly meets the point in question. Will he confirm that current lending to Nicaragua is less than £30,000, or of that order of magnitude? Why is the right hon. Gentleman not pressing both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to restore lending to Nicaragua? Is the right hon. Gentleman giving instructions to our representatives on those bodies that they should not do so? Are we simply following the United States in its boycott of Nicaragua? Does the right hon. Gentleman not realise that this is blatantly discriminatory, granted the basic needs approach to development that that country is pursuing and its considerable success in areas such as nutrition, housing, education and health?

Mr. Raison

I welcome the hon. Gentleman back to this country. We had thought that he might be taking root in Nicaragua.

Our aid programme is limited, and our priorities in that region must inevitably be the Commonwealth countries of the Caribbean and our dependencies. We give some aid—about £71,000 in the current year—but it is limited, and the prospects of Nicaragua getting increased aid would be very much better if that country could move faster towards democracy.

Mr. Soames

Will my right hon. Friend accept that many of us entirely agree with his stance on this issue and deplore the suggestion that any more money should be given to Nicaragua?

Mr. Raison

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his support.

Dr. M. S. Miller

Can it be that the reason for the right hon. Gentleman's failure to extend aid to Nicaragua is that the necessary administration is lacking? Will the right hon. Gentleman ensure that the lack of 150 civil servants in the Overseas Development Administration in East Kilbride is made good immediately, so that the right hon. Gentleman can proceed with the giving of aid where it is needed all over the world?

Mr. Raison

The hon. Gentleman has had to adopt a contorted tactic to introduce the question of the number of civil servants in his constituency. I have stated the reasons why we do not give more aid to Nicaragua.