HL Deb 21 July 1980 vol 412 cc4-5

2.42 p.m.

Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what response they have made to the appeal by Dr. Edouard Saouma, director-general of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, for action by the international community to avert a disaster of an unprecedented character by food shortages in many countries.

Lord CARRINGTON

My Lords, we have recently announced special help for Cambodia, Somalia and Uganda, all of which are areas which the director-general mentioned. We already contribute to the World Food Programme. We expect our food aid obligations this year, both direct and through the European Community, to cost over £40 million. As my honourable friend stressed recently in another place, we very much want to see developing countries give greater priority to agricultural and food production in their investment plans. We shall continue to do what we can in answer to their requests, and shall encourage international agencies to follow suit.

Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord the Minister for that Answer. May I ask him: Did not Dr. Saouma say that 29 countries are now suffering from food shortage, and is this not particularly the case in Eastern Africa, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Northern Kenya and Tanzania, where hundreds are dying every day? Has not the United Nations launched an appeal for a million or a million and a half tons of grain which are needed this year? I did not quite gather how far the Government have responded to that appeal.

Lord CARRINGTON

My Lords, I think that the facts which the noble Lord has stated are, broadly speaking, correct. I suspect that probably there is not so much a shortage of food in the world. Indeed, the FAO are now forecasting a 4 per cent. increase in world cereals after this harvest. The difficulty is very largely in distribution, and we must all do what we can. In my original Answer I pointed out that, this year, the Government will be contributing something like £40 million in food aid.

Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, while again thanking the Minister, may I ask him this question: Did not the United Nations World Food Council decide in favour of a food strategy linking developed countries with needy, developing countries? Have not 39 countries now joined that scheme? Has Britain joined? I understood there were negotiations with Sudan.

Lord CARRINGTON

Perhaps I ought to know that, my Lords, but I wonder whether I may write to the noble Lord, or tell him later. I am afraid I cannot give him the exact answer to that now.