§ LORD BROCKWAYMy 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 institute a survey of the social and economic conditions of the peoples of islands which are still colonial territories with a view to making recommendations for the raising of their standards of living and the provision for health and education.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)My Lords, the social and economic conditions of the remaining Dependent Territories are under constant study in relation to the provision of technical assistance and development aid. This is designed to raise their standards of living, including the improved provision for health and education services.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, while thanking the noble Baroness for that Answer, may I ask her whether there is not a danger that the 20 or 30 islands scattered about the world which are an inheritance from the Empire may be forgotten? Are they not in the peculiar position of adjustment between a very primitive society and modern industrialisation, and do not the people very often suffer through being exiled by cement and bulldozers from those beautiful islands which have been left by history?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I would agree with the noble Lord. Some of them are very beautiful islands. But the fact remains that economic aid has risen from 468 £2.9 million in 1960–61 to £17.2 million this year.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, may I ask one other question? Is the noble Baroness aware—there is no reason why she should be—that I have recently had a visit from a student who is doing a thesis on this subject and that I was quite unable to advise her where any authoritative information on this subject could be obtained? Is it not desirable that there should be a survey? Will the noble Baroness ask my noble friend Lord Shepherd, who made an examination of this subject just before he resigned his office, to prepare a document on the subject?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I am indeed grateful to be made aware of the visit received by the noble Lord, Lord Brockway. Under the Rules of Order of this House I am unable to ask a question of the noble Lord, Lord Shepherd, but perhaps he would care to reply himself.
§ LORD SHEPHERDI have to correct my noble friend: I did not resign. I recognise that we are making greater contributions than in the past to the dependent territories and that they are now fewer in number, but their needs are very great, particularly in the Solomons, in the Pacific, well away from any real capability of industrial development. I hope that the noble Baroness will look at these islands in particular, especially in the field of employment, to see whether more can be done, because we are educating these young people and it is no good educating them without finding them employment.
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, the noble Lord is of course quite right. Some territories have greater difficulties than others. I will certainly look at this particular point.
§ LORD SLATERMy Lords, in her first reply to my noble friend Lord Brockway the Minister referred to technical aid. May I ask what is the position in regard to the State-owned industries? What I have at the back of my mind is the amount of technical aid which the Post Office gave to these overseas territories when it was under the control of 469 Ministers. What is now the position in regard to such operations? Is such aid still being given by State-owned industries at the behest of Her Majesty's Government?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I do not think I could answer without notice a question on the Post Office. But we give considerable technical aid, and the various amounts of aid for each territory can be discovered in the appendices to the Appropriation Accounts.
§ LORD SEGALMy Lords, ought not the island of Hong Kong to be held out to other colonial islands as a good example of where there is a really progressive policy in the fields of education and health?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I think that a great deal has been done in Hong Kong, and a great deal is being done for the dependent territories as a whole in regard to both health and education. In fact, I can say that some 10 to 12 per cent. of recurrent health expenditure is on medical and health services, and 15 to 20 per cent. is on education.