HL Deb 28 November 1979 vol 403 cc398-400

2.44 p.m.

Lord HATCH of LUSBY

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 have yet considered the level of diplomatic representation in Conakry, Guinea.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, in view of the cuts in overseas representation announced in the Government's White Paper on Expenditure Plans for 1980–81 published on 1st November, we are unable to give further consideration to raising the status of British diplomatic representation in Conakry at the present time.

Lord HATCH of LUSBY

My Lords, do I take it from the Minister's Answer that the Government do not intend to change the representation in Conakry? May I ask him whether he is aware that I have raised this question with successive Governments over the past year for the purpose of trying to assist the British export trade in competition with the Germans, the Swiss, the Americans, the Italians, who all see the opportunities for co-operation in the development of the country of Guinea, which is now looking for co-operative arrangements with the Western World? Is he aware that the level of diplomatic representation in Conakry is a crucial issue so far as the business world of Britain is concerned?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, the noble Lord is right in inferring from my original Answer that we are not proposing to change the present arrangements, which are that our Ambassador in Dakar is accredited also to Conakry; but I can say that our Ambassador in Dakar is now making more frequent visits to Conakry. We are aware of the general desirability of maintaining our representation at the highest level everywhere in the world, but we have to cut our coat according to the cloth available.

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, is the Minister aware that his Answer to my noble friend will come as a great disappointment to many of us who have looked forward to the raising of the level of representation in this quite strategic country in Africa? Would he give an undertaking that, as soon as the immediate necessity for cutting the Diplomatic Service is past, hopefully within the year, consideration will once more be given to enhancing the representation in Conakry, where there is considerable and rising goodwill for this country and pretty considerable opportunities for trade, also?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I can certainly give an assurance that our representation there will be kept under review. It certainly would be our hope to open a mission there when circumstances allow. As for trade, certainly there has been a modest increase in trade with that country in recent months. For example, the figures for 1978 are that we exported £5½ million of goods to that country and imported just half a million pounds-worth of goods. There remains, however, the difficulty of the Guinean debt to the United Kingdom. I am sorry to have to say that the debt arrears still amount to £500,000, although we accept that there was a payment of this re-scheduled debt last month of £200,000.

Lord HATCH of LUSBY

My Lords, is the Minister aware that I have the highest regard for the new Ambassador in Dakar? Would he consider increasing the commercial expertise in Dakar, if he cannot increase the diplomatic representation in Conakry, to assist the business world of this country in its competition with the businessmen who are now flocking to what some people consider to be the wealthiest country in West Africa?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I do not think I would say that businessmen were flocking to Guinea, as the noble Lord suggests. The ECGD cover is at present not available, except on a short-term basis, for our exporters to Guinea. That matter could certainly be reviewed if the re-scheduled debt difficulty could be overcome. As for raising the availability of commercial expertise in the area, that is a useful suggestion which I shall look into.