§ 2.41 p.m.
§ The Marquess of SALISBURYMy 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 how much of the £15 million of aid allocated to Mozambique has so far been provided and what arrangements are being made to monitor the manner in which it is spent.
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, as I informed the House yesterday, in answer to a Question by the noble Lord, Lord Trefgarne, a loan agreement for £5 million has been signed. My right honourable friend the Minister for Overseas Development stated on 14th June that the Government of Mozambique will be required to certify the end use of each order before disbursements of aid funds are authorised. British officials will be permitted to inspect goods and documents.
§ The Marquess of SALISBURYMy Lords, while thanking the noble Baroness for that reply, can she give an assurance that all information will be avialable? Surely, Mozambique is not a country that has the same resources for accounting and so on as some other countries and it will be difficult to obtain this information. Will the noble Baroness bear that in mind when the investigation takes place?
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEYes, my Lords; of course we are very conscious of that and I know that the noble Marquess will be glad to hear that British officials may personally inspect goods and documents on arrival and that 332 the Government of Mozambique has agreed to provide information whenever reasonably asked for.
§ Baroness ELLESMay I ask the Minister on what criteria these projects are to be based?
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEYes my Lords, it is entirely for developmental assistance.
Lord INGLEWOODMy Lords, the noble Baroness speaks of British officials inspecting goods and end uses, which is a fairly long-term job. Can she say whether she anticipates British officials being permanently in Mozambique for this purpose and, if so, how many and who will pay their fares and their subsistence?
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, we have an Embassy in Maputo and there are very competent officials there. I could not possibly answer how much it would cost, but I am sure that there will not be any need for special air fares.
§ Lord BARNBYMy Lords, since the details of the monitoring arrangements in Mozambique indicate a cosy intimacy with the Government accounting in Mozambique, is the noble Baroness able to give any indication what would be the proportions of the total expenditure on military operations in and out of Mozambique, compared between that spent by the Government and what would be provided by outside sources?
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, we have no knowledge of any expenditure on military equipment and so on, but whatever might be spent, none of it will be spent by Her Majesty's Government.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, can the noble Baroness say whether it is a fact that in Mozambique, quite apart from ideological views, a great deal is being done in health, education and child care by the Mozambique Government? Does she agree that contributions by our Government for those services should be supported by all of us in this House?
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEYes, indeed, my Lords, and it is our duty because we are bound to do so by United Nations resolution.
§ Lord BOURNEMy Lords, does the noble Baroness realise that, as she explained yesterday, if one is looking for a poor country—and I agree with the noble Earl, Lord Lauderdale, about resources being put to good use—Bangladesh is considerably poorer than Mozambique?
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, Her Majesty's Government do their best in the way of aid wherever it is required; and £15 million for Mozambique spread over many years is not much, but we hope that it will help where it is most needed.