HC Deb 31 July 1984 vol 65 cc196-7W
Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to the answer of 26 July to the right hon. Member for Manchester. Wythenshawe regarding privatisation of the electricity supply industry, why he did not list the specific consultations requested and with whom they have been held; if he will now do so, specifying those involving trade union representatives of employees in the industry; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Giles Shaw

Views have been expressed to me by various of those concerned, including trade union representatives of employees in the electricity supply industry.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will now have consultations with trade union representatives of employees in the electricity supply industry concerning the intended scope for the introduction of private capital into the electricity supply industry; and if he will make a statement.

1. Mr. Giles Shaw

I would hope to consult trade union representatives at the appropriate time on any proposals that I decide to make.

Net Official Development Assistance
$ million
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982
Cash
United Kingdom 1.1 2.4 2.5 4.2 4.6 6.3 3.9 2.9 5.3 6.0 4.4 1.0 9.7
All Sources 39.9 47.1 47.6 66.8 121.4 134.6 140.5 114.0 139.7 174.4 216.0 241.1 200.0
Of which Multilateral 7.3 9.7 10.0 17.2 40.4 60.3 67.7 55.1 83.5 103.8 120.4 150.5 122.9
Constant 1981 prices and exchange rates
United Kingdom 3.5 6.9 6.5 10.4 10.4 11.8 7.8 5.3 7.9 7.1 4.0 0.9 9.7
All Sources 100.7 111.9 101.7 127.5 209.6 201.5 204.1 153.3 163.2 180.7 205.1 236.0 200.0
Of which Multilateral 18–4 23.0 21.4 32.8 69.8 90.3 98.3 74.1 97.5 107.5 114.3 147.3 122.9

Notes:

Sources: figures from "DAC Geographical Flows", (Development Assistance Committee of OECD). Revalued to 1982 prices and exchange rates using official development assistance deflators from "DAC Chairman's Review: 1983".

2. "All sources" includes bilateral aid from members of DAC and OPEC, but excludes CMEA (Centrally Planned) countries, for which comparable figures are not available.

Mr. Alton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in view of the drought and famine conditions now existing in Ethiopia what are the Government's plans for supplying (a) long-term development aid and (b) short-term emergency aid to that country; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Raison

In my reply on 26 June to my hon. Friend the Member for Fareham (Mr. Lloyd) I said that the Government are offering waiver of arrears and retrospective terms adjustment on past aid loans to Ethiopia at a cost of about £3.15 million. We are already involved in a project to help postgraduate medical education for which the Ethiopian authorities sought urgent priority help last year. Apart from this I hope we may soon be able to resume some wider educational assistance. We are paying our share of the extensive development aid provided by the European Community and other multilateral agencies to which we belong.

I announced yesterday in the House at column 16 that I have decided to allot 2,000 tonnes of bilateral food aid for use in Ethiopia by British voluntary agencies, and to contribute £1 million to the recent appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee, £350,000 to special appeals from the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and