§ 3.4 p.m.
§ 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 what action is proposed to help relieve the famine in Ethiopia.
§ THE Loan PRIVY SEAL (LORD SHEPHERD)My Lords, Her Majesty's Government have allocated £350,000 to Ethiopia for famine relief projects which include road construction and irrigation programmes. This is in addition to the normal development aid programme in 588 Ethiopia, amounting to nearly £2 million annually, a substantial part of which is devoted to rural development—the best safeguard against a repetition of this disaster. My right honourable friend is urgently considering, in consultation with the voluntary agencies, further measures to improve transport facilities for the distribution of grain, a project to restock the depleted herds of the Afar nomads, and the possible need for further emergency relief aid in the event of any worsening in the situation.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, while greatly welcoming that reply, may I ask my noble friend whether, in their consideration of further relief measures, Her Majesty's Government will consider making the proposal to the United Nations that they should establish a permanent relief agency which could act in time of famine or natural disaster?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, this is a view that I personally have held, which has been held within Parliament and, particularly, within our Party. It is a matter to which I know my right honourable friend will be giving the most careful attention.
§ BARONESS GAITSKELLMy Lords, would it be a good idea that my noble friend Lord Brockway should put his Question to the heads of the oil-producing countries whose main problem seems to be what to do with the wealth that they possess at this moment, which is not our problem? I noticed about a week ago that Emperor Haile Selassie, who went to Saudi Arabia to ask for help, was sent away with very little satisfaction.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, it is the normal practice to direct questions to a Minister, in the expectation that he may be able to do something. I can only suggest to my noble friend Lord Brockway that he takes note of what my noble friend Lady Gaitskell has said.
§ LORD DAVIES OF LEEKMy Lords, would my noble friend please try to ensure, if aid is distributed to Ethiopia, that it is not given on any biased, theocratic basis, but that the aborigines in the South, who are not Ethiopian Christians, should get exactly the same chance of aid as the theorcratic Ethiopians?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, the aid is being given to people in distressed areas.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, while not wishing to comment on the question which has been put to me by my noble friend, Lady Gaitskell—to which I have a complete answer in my own actions—may I ask the Lord Privy Seal whether, arising from the question she has put, the Government will support the proposal at the United Nations on April 9 that there should be a discussion between the oil and the other producing nations, and representatives of the developed nations, to try to reach a balanced solution on this problem?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I am sure we shall.
§ LORD BOWDENMy Lords, is the noble Lord the Lord Privy Seal aware that in concentrating efforts on road building he will solve only a small part of the problem? More than half the population of Ethiopia lives fifty miles from a road. Other techniques will have to be devised since the tracks are impassable. I beg to suggest that the complications are far greater than seem to have been envisaged in the reply given by the Lord Privy Seal.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, the road building project was initiated to deal with the immediate situation, in order that food could be distributed. The capital aid and technical aid that we are now providing is concentrated in the field of irrigation and crop development.
§ LORD HAILSHAM OF SAINT MARYLEBONEMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that we like to see his face as well as hearing his voice?
§ LORD SHEPHERDI beg your Lordship's pardon for turning my head away. I thought my voice was loud enough for all noble Lords to hear me.
§ LORD SLATERMy Lords, is my noble friend in a position to state whether any support for Ethiopia is coming from the rest of East Africa, particularly from Kenya, which is on the Ethiopian border?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I have no information upon that matter. I suppose it must be recognised that many of those territories are experiencing drought conditions; but aid is at present coming from Europe.