§ 40. Mr. Tony Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government have any plans to restore development aid to Ethiopia.
§ The Minister for Overseas Development (Mr. Timothy Raison)We provide development aid to Ethiopia mainly through our contributions to the European Community and the World Bank. We have also agreed to support postgraduate medical education and English language training in Ethiopia accompanied by appropriate training programmes in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. LloydDoes the Minister agree that his answer will not be acceptable to people throughout the country? There has been a massive goodwill exercise towards Ethiopia in terms of emergency aid from private sources and, of course, from the Government. Has not the time come when a massive effort must be directed towards development aid to make sure that Ethiopia does not face a crisis in the future? A blockage on that aid, caused by the ideological position of the Government, is in no one's interest.
§ Mr. RaisonIt is not just a question of ideological differences. It is difficult to give aid in a country where the whole approach to agriculture — a collectivist approach—is very different from ours, and where a civil war is raging. However, aid will be provided through the medium of the World Bank and the European Community, towards both of which we make substantial contributions.
§ Mr. Bowen WellsIs it not true that aid to the agricultural centres of Ethiopia needs to be directed towards the poor farmers in arid areas, who need support for small agricultural enterprises, and that the Government of Ethiopia are totally opposed to that obvious developmental need?
§ Mr. RaisonI agree with my hon. Friend's definition of developmental need, but I must repeat that there are great difficulties connected with the attitude taken by the Ethiopian Government towards the nation's agriculture.
§ Mr. Tom ClarkeIs the Minister not disappointed with the less than robust response from British industrialists towards development aid to Ethiopia? For instance, has he recieved any representations from the CBI?
§ Mr. RaisonI cannot recall offhand having received any representations from the CBI. However, overall, British industry is capable of playing an important part in development across the world, and I have done what I can to encourage it to do so.