§ 2.39 p.m.
§ LORD BURNTWOODMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make a Statement concerning the Wankie coal mine disaster; and whether they will state what aid, financial and physical is to be offered by Her Majesty's Government to victims and their dependants, and by what means such aid will be conveyed to the people concerned; and what provisions exist under workmen's compensation legislation for these persons.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)My Lords, as my right honourable friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary stated in another place on June 12, Her Majesty's Government have decided to give £25,000 towards the relief of distress among the families involved in this disaster, in which 430 miners lost their lives. Supplementary provision for this expenditure will be requested from Parliament, and meanwhile an advance is being sought from the Contingencies Fund. I understand that there is Southern Rhodesian legislation relating to compensation for workmen killed or disabled in accidents caused during their employment.
I am sure that all Members of this House will have been shocked to hear of the disaster, and would wish to express their sympathy to the families and friends of those who died.
§ LORD BURNTWOODMy Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that I tabled this Question before the Statement made by the Foreign Secretary yesterday? Secondly, is it a fact that this company is part of the immensely wealthy Anglo-American Corporation and that it is itself a British-controlled company? May I ask whether the Articles of Association of the company have been examined to see what is the liability of the company in this matter towards the victims? Lastly, may I ask the noble Baroness whether, if it is found that the powers of the company, or its intentions as announced so far, appear in the view of Her Majesty's Government to be inadequate, the Government will take steps to increase their contribution?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, with regard to increasing the contribution of Her Majesty's Government, I think we should wait and see as a whole the arrangements made for those concerned. So far as the Articles of Association of the company are concerned, these have not been examined. I might add that there are also arrangements within Rhodesia for those who are killed or suffer accidents in this way to have the right to receive compensation.
§ LORD HARVEY OF PRESTBURYMy Lords, has my noble friend any knowledge of what other Commonwealth countries may or may not be giving to this fund; and can we hope that they will not be inhibited because of sanctions?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, we have no knowledge to date of separate contributions from other Commonwealth countries, but if the noble Lord cares to table a Question in, say, two or three weeks' time I may he able to answer it. In any case, such countries will not be inhibited in any way by sanctions, because the Security Council resolution specifically expected payments for strictly humanitarian purposes.
§ LORD BALFOUR OF INCHRYEMy Lords, is the Minister aware that, contrary to the noble Lord's question, the Anglo-American Corporation is registered in South Africa; that it is a most advanced liberal corporation which treats its employees in an exemplary way and 686 we have no reason to think that it will not fully meet its responsibilities in this matter?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, we have no reason whatever to think that the corporation will not meet its responsibilities, but the question put to me was about the Articles of Association of the company concerned.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, did the noble Baroness answer that part of my noble friend's Question in which he asked by what means the aid would be conveyed to the people concerned?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, the aid will be conveyed through trustees who are to be appointed specifically in order to help the families of those in distress.
§ LORD SHINWELLMy Lords, the noble Baroness referred to provision in Rhodesia for workmen's compensation. Has she any information about the rates of compensation? If she is unable to furnish me with an answer now, is it possible for this information to be given to the House at a later date, because it may condition the kind of donation which Her Majesty's Government are able to provide?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIENo, my Lords. I have no specific knowledge of the rates of compensation.
§ LORD BLYTONMy Lords, we all sympathise, particularly those of us who have been miners, with the relatives of those who lost their lives in this disaster at Wankie. May we have an assurance that Her Majesty's Government, with the assistance of noble Lords opposite, will endeavour to use this tragedy to bring pressure to bear on the Smith regime in Rhodesia?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I am sure that the noble Lord's expression of sympathy will be very much appreciated by all those who read the proceedings of this House. The giving of contributions, either by individuals or by Her Majesty's Government, does not in any way alter the particular arrangements relating to sanctions against the Smith régime.
§ LORD BURNTWOODMy Lords, unless I misheard the noble Baroness, I do not think she answered my question about whether this company is, in fact, British-controlled. Secondly, is she satisfied that the domestic resources of the country—"domestic" in the sense of Rhodesia—are sufficient to investigate the cause of this disaster? Thirdly, is the noble Baroness aware that the fact that this company is immediately under the control of a company registered in South Africa does not cause noble Lords on this side of the House a great deal of happiness?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I have already said that we have not examined the Articles of Association of this company. I understand that there is to be an inquiry into this matter because a great many factors are not yet known.