§ 35. Dr. HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funds and resources have been allocated to aid famine and drought relief in Mozambique.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydSo far this year we have provided 15,000 tonnes of food aid for Mozambique and Mozambican refugees and a substantial part of the £5 million of additional food aid announced by my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development on 29 April will also go to Mozambique.
§ Dr. HowellsThree million people in Mozambique are exposed to famine because of this dreadful drought, and perhaps 7 million people in the countries that border Mozambique. The famine agencies say that they cannot get supplies through to rebel-held areas and that if there is not a ceasefire in this terrible civil war, millions of people will die. Does the Minister agree that we should have a direct answer from the Minister for Overseas Development and that if we do not have a direct answer from her soon, as opposed to messages from the other place, we shall have no confidence in what the Government are doing to relieve that famine?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI hope that from now on every Opposition question will not be about my right hon. and noble Friend's position in the other place, because there are serious aid matters to discuss. Mozambique is one of the countries worst affected by drought. We have been responsible for providing substantial aid to Mozambique —about £9 million worth of it as a result of the current emergency. My right hon. and noble Friend's participation in this important area of concern was shown last week in Brussels when she pushed hard for enhanced European Community provision for Mozambique, about which we expect an announcement shortly.
§ Dame Elaine Kellett-BowmanWhat progress has been made in repairing the power lines to the major Kabora Bassa dam, which was destroyed by the rebels? If those power lines were repaired, Mozambique could export power to many of the southern African states, thus earning much revenue and helping it to build its own economy and those of other southern African states.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI am afraid that I am unable to answer my hon. Friend's point. In addition to the emergency aid, the balance of payments aid the bilateral aid that we give each year, we are continuing our substantial capital aid programme and our substantial technical co-operation programme. I shall write to my hon. Friend about the detailed points that she made.
§ Mrs. ClwydWould the Minister care to tell us why the United Kingdom is apparently blocking an EC proposal that each EC country should substantially increase overseas aid to the target of 0–7 per cent. of the gross national product by the year 2000, or will he tell me that he cannot answer that question either and that he must ask his right hon. and noble Friend in another place? I hope that he will give a proper answer to that question.
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. I remind the hon. Lady that the question relates to Mozambique.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) owes my right hon. noble Friend and the House an apology. She should be ashamed of herself. She is entitled to feel strongly about aid issues, but she has clothed her feelings in personalised insults against my right hon. and noble Friend, and for that she has—
§ Mrs. Clwydrose—
§ Madam SpeakerOrder.
§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd—the disrespect of this side of the House.