HL Deb 23 July 1979 vol 401 cc1627-8

3.3 p.m.

Lord BROCKWAY

My 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 special grant to the Government of Tanzania in view of its economic difficulties following its conflict with General Amin in Uganda.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, a request has been received from the Tanzanian Government for special economic assistance, and will require co-ordinated consideration by the international community. Our own response must to some extent depend upon the outcome of the public expenditure review.

Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, in thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask him whether it is not now clear that the first invasion of Tanzania was by Uganda? Would that not be confirmed by our High Commissioner in Nairobi? Is it not the case that it had cost Tanzania £500 million and that it is asking for only £170 million from nine different Western Governments? In view of the act of liberation which has been carried out in Uganda, should we not make a response to this invitation?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, what the noble Lord says may well be true, but development aid cannot be used directly or indirectly for military purposes. We can help Tanzania with general economic aid, and this we are doing, and shall continue to do so.

Lord HATCH of LUSBY

My Lords, would the Minister not agree that the greatest disaster in Tanzania as a result of its removal of the dictator Amin (who, incidentally, was sustained by Western and other Governments) has been the blow that it has suffered not just in military expenditure, but also in its economic development? Would the Government please consider, when they are talking about reducing public expenditure here, that this is a case of a very poor people who have removed from the world a gross dictator, and who deserve every assistance that we can give towards their economic development which has been stymied by the military expenditure?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I must repeat that we do not provide development aid for military purposes, either directly or indirectly. But having said that, the application that has been made by the Tanzanian Government both to ourselves and—as the noble Lord mentioned—a group of other Governments has not fallen on stony ground, and we shall certainly seek to help as best we can within the limits of our resources.