§ Mr. Roseasked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will discuss with the Prime Ministers of Caribbean Associated States the rôle that British-owned companies and nationalised industries can play in developing industry and agriculture and tourism within the control of an overall Caribbean aid strategy.
§ Mr. PrenticeI have no plans for such discussions. The Premiers of the Associated States and their Ministers and officials are in constant touch with the Ministry's development division in the Caribbean about aid matters. British companies both under our development aid programmes and outside them already play an important rôle in the commercial development of the Associated States. Under aid both the private and public sectors of industry are involved in capital projects such as buildings and communications, in the provision of consultancies on agriculture and tourism and in the secondment of staff for technical assistance assignments. I shall continue to encourage this as a valuable contribution to an aid strategy for the Caribbean.