HC Deb 18 July 1985 vol 83 cc250-3W
Mr. Spearing

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in respect of his observations on the second report of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House, Session 1984–85, on "Famine in Africa," Cmnd. 9566, paragraph (xxxii), what are the relevant sums in respect of each of the following categories: allocations already agreed for food aid, disaster relief and for emergency actions under the European development fund, relief aid to famine-affected countries in the last 12 months derived from these funds, other sums devoted to these purposes together with the name of the funds from which they have been drawn and the sums allocated from all programmes, including the above, made available due to unavoidable slippage in expenditure, together with the respective reasons for such slippage for each sum and fund concerned.

Mr. Rifkind

The information requested is as follows. The figures remain provisional pending finalisation of the Appropriation Account.

Committee of the House, Session 1984–85, "Famine in Africa", Cmnd. 9566, paragraph (xxxiv), if he will give a breakdown of the 1,200,000 tonnes of cereals committed at the Dublin Council derived physically from: intervention stocks within the European Economic Community and cereals purchased from the world market, together with the overall cost and cost per tonne cif at port of delivery for each category in European currency units and pound sterling at a given exchange rate;

(2) in respect of his observations on the second report of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House, Session 1984–85, on "Famine in Africa", Cmnd. 9566, paragraph (xxxiv), if he will set out a comparative table in respect of an approximate or actual breakdown of cost per tonne in respect of cereals allocated at the Dublin Council drawn from intervention stocks and world markets, respectively, for each of the following, or similar, categories of expenditure: purchase cost, export subsidy or state assistance where applicable, shipping cost, insurance and agency costs.

Mr. Rifkind

This information is not available in the form requested, either in respect of the Community's commitments under the Dublin plan, or in respect of member states' commitments. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development will send the hon. Member what information he can on these points as soon as possible.

Mr. Spearing

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in respect of his observations on the second report of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House, Session 1984–85, on "Famine in Africa", Cmnd. 9566, paragraph (xxxiv), what specific representations were made by Her Majesty's Government to the appropriate authorities of the European Economic Community to activate existing emergency procedures to speed up delivery of aid under the normal food aid programme; what reply he has received; and if he will make a statement concerning the further intentions of Her Majesty's Government on this matter.

Mr. Rifkind

Her Majesty's Government urged that emergency procedures should be used for food aid for famine affected countries at meetings in Brussels on 30 January, 15 February, 5 March and 14 May. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development emphasised the need to speed up food aid deliveries in discussion with Commissioner Natali on 4 March, and raised the question of emergency procedures at the Development Council on 23 May. Ministers and officials have also discussed it in informal contacts with the Commission, which are now reviewing the procedures for allocating emergency aid. We intend to press for rapid conclusions from this review.

Mr. Spearing

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what projects have been undertaken, or what direct assistance has been rendered, by the Tropical Development and Research Institute or its predecessors in respect of areas now subject to famine in Africa in the course of the last five years; and in respect of each project or programme, what was the name of the commissioning body and the source of the funds for the payment of the work, together with particulars of any requests or proposals received from any quarter which have been declined over the same period, together with the dates concerned and reasons for the refusal of any request.

Mr. Rifkind

A list of current activities by the Tropical Development and Research Institute in East and West Africa is set out in the table. For the past five years the proportion of effort devoted to Africa has increased from 19 to 25 per cent., reflecting increased regional technical co-operation demand. All such technical co-operation requests have been met. Twenty-four contract opportunities were declined over the five-year period because suitable staff were unavailable. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development will write to the hon. Member with details of projects carried out earlier in the five-year period when the information has been compiled.

Specific contracts, projects and programmes now being undertaken by TORT: East and West Africa affected by drought.

  • Prostephanus Truncatus Control Programme, Tanzania. This is a jointly funded FAO-ODA programme, £300,000 (of which £200,000 from FAO). Likely completion date 1987–88.
  • East African Armyworm Programme, Tanzania and Kenya. Multi-funded, EDF £100,000; ODA £240,000; DG XII-EC £70,000. 1987–88. Partly supported by on-going financed United Kingdom based R and D programme valued at £334,500.
  • Tsetse and Trypanosomiaisis Programme, Somalia, Rwanda. Multi-funded, FAO £5,500; ODA £90,000 (including a longterm TC element). 1987–88.
  • Partly supported by an on-going ODA funded United Kingdom and Overseas based R and D programme valued at £483.000.
  • Ecology and Control of Crop Damaging Termites Programme, Sudan
  • ODA funded TC project £55,000. 1986–87.
  • Schistosomiasis Control Programme, Sudan.
  • ODA funded TC-TCO project £70,000. 1986–87.
  • Vector Control, Refugee Camps, Sudan.
  • Funded by Save the Children Fund, £3,150 on-going.
  • Impovement of Pest Control in Stored Cereal Grains, Mali. ODA financed TC-TCO programme £250,000. 1987–88.
  • Partly supported by on-going ODA funded United Kingdom and Overseas based R and D programmes valued at £100,000.
  • Improved Utilisation of Sorghum, Kenya.
  • Including a multi-funded Sorghum New Foods joint "FDRIKIRDI project having DGXII-EC £146,000; ODA TCO £70,000 elements and supported by a three-year, £233,000 home and overseas research and development programme funded by the ODA.
  • Support to the Livestock and Meat Marketing Commission, Sudan.
  • ODA funded TC programme £60.000. 1986–87.
  • Training in the Post Harvest Technology of Fruits, Kenya. ODA funded TC project £20,000. 1985–86.
  • Study of Post Harvest Crop Losses, Tanzania.
  • EC funded project £12,600. 1985–86.
  • Control of Insects on Dried Fish, Gambia.
  • ODA funded TC project £20,000. 1985–86.
  • Partly supported by two-year ODA financed, United Kingdom R and D programme valued at £22,000.
  • Use of Bactericides in the Suspension Drying of Hides, Gambia.
  • ODA funded TC project £10,000. 1985–86.
  • Partly supported by two-year ODA financed, United Kingdom based R and D programme valued at £13,750.
  • Temperate Management of Horticultural Export Crops, Kenya.
  • ODA financed project £50,000. 1985–86.
  • Pulping Trials on Cupressus SPP., Sudan.
  • ODA funded TC Project £55,000. 1985–86.
  • Post Harvest Training, Warda, Ivory Coast.
  • ODA funded TC project £7,750/year on-going.
  • Training Courses in Post Harvest Crop Technology, Cameron.
  • ODA funded TC project £19,500. 1985–86.
  • Mideviv Potato Project, Cameron.
  • ODA funded TC Project £5,000. 1985–86.
  • Abattoir Rehabilitation Study, Ghana.
  • ODA funded TC project £20,000. 1986–87.

Note:

This list does not include United Kingdom based research and development projects on semi-arid and arid land crops which have a wider geographical application or training programmes (individual or group) for Central African trainees which are undertaken in the United Kingdom. Similarly, it does not include short projects, perhaps of an innovative nature, which might be undertaken at the TDRI as a result of requests for technical information of short "fire-brigading" visits of up to one month arising from specific requests for technical assistance.

The total level of TDRI effort in the form of contracts, long and short-term technical co-operation and allied R and D programmes in the Sub-Sahel Africa is likely to reach 47 man years in 1985–86, representing 16 per cent. of the institute's total effort.

Mr. Spearing

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in respect of his observations on the second report of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House, Session 1984–85, on "Famine in Africa," Cmnd. 9566, paragraph (xxviii), what are the specific contracts, projects or programmes now being undertaken by the Tropical Development and Research Institute,

DG XII Contracts—TDRI
Termination Date Main Research Centre Principle overseas collaborations EC Contribution to TDRI over lifetime of projects £
1. New Foods from Sorghum December 31, 1986 TDRI, Culham Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute. 143,000
2. Mechanisms of Resistence in Rice to the Brown Plant-hopper June 30, 1987 TDRI, College House South East Asia Regional Centre for Graduate studies in Agriculture (Philippines). 108,400
Nilaparrata Lugana Stal.
3. Investigation of the femal sex pheromone of major insect peats of some important food crops. June 30, 1987 TDRI, Grays Inn Road. (a) West Africa Rice Development Association (Sierra Leone) (b) Permanent committee for Drought control in the Sahal (Senegal). (c) Coconut Research Institute (Sri Lanka). 70,000
4. Optimisation of pheromone traps used in the control of the East African Armyworm June 30, 1987 TDRI, College House (a) Makoka Research Station (Malawi) (b) Desert Locust Control Organisation for Eastern Africa (Kenya). 70,000
5. Virus control of Spodoptera Littoraies in Egypt December 31, 1986 TDRI, Porten Down Plant Protection Research Institute Min. of Agriculture (Egypt). 138,811
6. Current priorities in taxonomy research. December 31, 1985 TDRI, College House 15,000