§ Mr. Prenticeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on aid to India to assist with the burden of refugees from East Bengal, giving details of the amounts pledged, the up-to-date position on commitments to separate items of expenditure, and the amounts actually disbursed; and whether he will now make a pledge of more aid.
§ Mr. Richard WoodOf the £8 million Her Majesty's Government had previously offered, the £250,000 offered to the British charities has been spent; the £750,000 offered through the World Food Programme for the purchase of wheat has been declined by the Government of India; the £2 million offered to the United Nations High Commissioner for refugees has been spent; £500,000 has been spent on the purchase and freight of tents and other shelter materials; £2.5 million has been committed to the purchase and freight of rice, which is being shipped; and we are ready to pay over the balance of £2 million for purchases in India of blankets, clothing, etc.
My right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary announced a further contribution of £7.5 million in his statement on 18th October, 1971.—[Vol. 823, c. 373.]