§ 68. Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has discussed overseas aid co-operation with representatives of the Government of Japan; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Minister for Overseas Development (Mr. Chris Patten)My Department is in frequent contact with representatives of the Government of Japan. I visited Tokyo in July and had wide-ranging discussions with the Japanese Government on overseas development issues.
§ Mr. BennettIs there any possibility of the Japanese Government giving financial assistance to British charities, such as the Save the Children Fund, which are working in developing countries?
§ Mr. PattenThat would be a sensible way in which the Japanese aid programme could develop in a number of countries. Our charities that work in long-term development are exceptionally professional, and I have suggested to the Japanese Government—this is a good idea of my hon. Friend's—that they might consider putting money through our non-governmental organisations, through a mechanism such as our joint funding scheme.
§ Mr. SkinnerIs not the truth that the Japanese are good at looking after themselves? Given their $80 billion trade surplus this year, is it any wonder that we read stories that they do not allow cosmetics into their country because they have different skins, or cannot allow skis to be imported because they have different snow, or have told Third world countries that they do not want their oranges because their stomachs are too small?
§ Mr. PattenThe hon. Gentleman's imaginative contribution to improving relations with Japan takes me well beyond my departmental brief. If he was trying to say that liberalising international trade is even more important than developing aid flows, I wholly agree with him.