HC Deb 21 April 1986 vol 96 cc16-7
53. Mr. Wallace

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to increase the proportion of aid given to sub-Saharan Africa; and if he will make a statement.

The Minister for Overseas Development (Mr. Timothy Raison)

Most of our aid already goes to the poorest countries of the world, but we are giving increasing priority to those countries in sub-Saharan Africa where our aid can be used most effectively. Those countries are also benefiting increasingly from mulitlateral aid programmes, to which we are major contributors.

Mr. Wallace

Is the Minister aware that in the decade up to 1982–83 the value of United Kingdom aid to sub-Saharan Africa decreased in real terms, whereas that of all other EEC countries, of Japan, of OPEC countries and of the United States and Canada increased, in some cases more than tenfold? Does he agree that that is a shameful state of affairs? Has that trend been reversed, and will the right hon. Gentleman assure us that reports today of a grain surplus in certain parts of Africa will not be allowed to instil a false sense of security, because as much help as we can possibly give is still needed?

Mr. Raison

I certainly accept that Africa needs help both in the long term and, in some cases, in the short term, although in other areas of Africa the food supplies overall are completely adequate at present. With regard to our own developmental aid, I believe that we are maintaining a steady rate of assistance on the bilateral side. On the multilateral side, there have been increases and we contribute considerably to them. For example, the recent Lomé 3 agreement provided for a large increase in aid to Africa, and we play our part in that.

Mr. Teddy Taylor

Could not that important programme be extended from Common Market development funds if that organisation did not spend so many hundreds of millions of pounds dumping cheap food on Libya, which certainly makes no contribution to the improvement of welfare in Africa or elsewhere?

Mr. Raison

The Common Market is a very substantial contributor of development aid both through the Lome convention, to which I have referred, and through food aid, some of which is dubious, but much of which is valuable.

Mr. Barnett

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that the areas of greatest concern are the semi-arid areas of the African continent? Does he further agree that he might be in a position to send a larger proportion of British aid to those areas where it is desperately needed if the Government had not moved away from the policy set out by my right hon. Friend the Member for Clydesdale (Dame J. Hart) in the 1975 White Paper "More Help for the Poorest" and if the Government had not introduced commercial and industrial considerations into their aid policies?

Mr. Raison

We are, of course, concerned with aid in the semi-arid areas of Africa and I believe that we make a substantial and effective contribution. We also accept that there should be commercial and political aspects to our aid programme, but, overall, I believe that our programme is marked by a high degree of effectiveness.

54. Mr. Chapman

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about Her Majesty's Government's decision not to make a contribution to the special fund set up by the international fund for agricultural development to help farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Mr. Raison

; A British contribution would be at the expense of our bilateral aid programme. In general, we think it better to help agricultural projects directly and through the voluntary agencies rather than to contribute extra money to IFAD beyond our share of the recent general replenishment.

Mr. Chapman

Even accepting that our aid can be more effectively deployed through a grant system arranged bilaterally than through a loans system arranged by a multilateral agency, does my right hon. Friend agree that there must be a concerted and co-ordinated international approach if we are to help the sub-Saharan countries to develop their agricultural economies and thus give the best possible prospects for removing the scourge of famine?

Mr. Raison

My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the fact that our aid to poor African countries takes the form of grants, whereas aid through IFAD takes the form of loans. I agree that co-ordination is important. We have stepped up co-ordination recently and, I believe, successfully. We shall continue to do so.

Mr. Deakins

Does not the Minister's answer overlook one simple and important fact, namely, that in sub-Saharan Africa populations are rising rapidly? That alone ought to be enough to make us consider this a special problem requiring a special multilateral solution, such as I have put forward.

Mr. Raison

The hon. Gentleman is right to say that population pressure in parts of Africa is great. He will acknowledge the increase in the scale of assistance that we have provided. I agree, however, that the matter requires continued and, perhaps, increased emphasis.