§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will undertake an urgent review, jointly with the other major aid donors to Bangladesh, to consider what additional aid could be offered to Bangladesh, especially linked to health, education, housing and development of infrastructure; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerWe have regular discussions with the Government of Bangladesh and with other major aid donors. Bangladesh's aid requirements are considered at annual meetings of the aid group led by the World Bank. At the last such meeting in April 1990 an action plan for policy reform was adopted.
Last month we participated in a mid-term review of progress in implementing this plan, when it was agreed that the Government of Bangladesh would invite donors for further discussions on its investment priorities and on means of ensuring more effective use of aid, prior to the next aid group meeting in April 1991.
Our bilateral aid programme to Bangladesh is substantial, at over £50 million a year, and includes assistance for health, education and infrastructure. We recently participated in a multi-donor mission to appraise a further major programme of assistance for population and family health. We currently await information on the interim Government's intention in these, and other areas of development and look forward to continued dialogue.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy that continued aid to Bangladesh will rest entirely on progress made towards the genuine restoration of representative democracy and observance of basic human rights in Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerWe have welcomed the appointment of Mr. Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed as acting President and the announcement that free and fair elections will be held within 90 days. We hope everyone will heed the call for peace by leaders of all the main political parties so that normal life can be resumed as soon as possible.
The observance of human rights and good government are among the factors we take into account in allocating aid to developing countries. These considerations apply to Bangladesh as much as to any other developing country receiving British aid.