§ 30. Mr. MacShaneTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance he provides to the independent trade union movement in Indonesia. [15267]
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Jeremy Hanley)There has been no change since the hon. Gentleman last asked that question. No aid is given to the independent trade union movement in Indonesia.
§ Mr. MacShaneIs not the deplorable fact that no help is given to one of the most important trade union movements in Asia a reflection of the complaint that the Minister's boss, Baroness Chalker, made in her lecture last week, when she protested at Treasury cuts in the budget of the Overseas Development Administration? We can leave that aspect of the Government's death throes to the Ministers involved, but will the right hon. Gentleman accept that the SBSI, the independent trade union movement in Indonesia, is an important social actor and should receive Government support? Is the Minister prepared to meet a small delegation to discuss whether there is some line of budget to give help to Indonesia in future?
§ Mr. HanleyBritish aid to Indonesia was £22.2 million in 1993–94 and £21.5 million last year—excluding the Commonwealth Development Corporation's programmes and debt relief. The money is spent on those who are most in need. I do not believe that there is a strong case for 578 sponsoring the trade union movement in Indonesia, but there is a strong developmental, economic and commercial case for Britain to maintain a substantial aid programme to Indonesia—other donors agree.