§ 2.40 p.m.
§ Lord BOYD-CARPENTERMy 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 the Nigerian Government has yet put forward proposals to compensate British interests for the oil and other properties seized by it last summer.
§ Lord TREFGARNEMy Lords, as I told the noble Lord on 8th November, BP are in touch with the Nigerian authorities. Her Majesty's Government are also in contact with the new Nigerian Government on this question. I would prefer not to say more at this stage.
§ Lord BOYD-CARPENTERMy Lords, is not my noble friend and is not the Foreign Office a little concerned, if this oil-rich country can help itself to British property and put forward no proposals for compensation for six months, that this may be a considerable encouragement to other countries where there are British investments to behave similarly?
§ Lord TREFGARNEYes, of course, my Lords. We deeply deplore the original action taken by the Nigerian Government. However, I would point out that there is now a new Government in Nigeria. We 109 are in touch with the new Government and we hope to make progress soon.
§ Lord BOYD-CARPENTERMy Lords, does my noble friend recall that he used this argument about the new Government two and a half months ago? Is he therefore aware that it is now two and a half months older?
§ Lord TREFGARNEMy Lords, we were not in touch with the new Government when I spoke from this Box on the subject a while ago, but we are now in touch with the new Government.