Mr. Robert G. HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to increase aid to black South Africans in the light of recent political developments; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will today announce in South Africa a new pledge of £10 million for assistance to black South Africans.
Our aid programme there is a practical demonstration of our commitment to ease the transition to a just, democratic and non-racial society in South Africa. I welcome the recent political developments there which bring the prospect of such a society closer.
The new pledge, for expenditure over the next four years, will enable us to provide support for new projects to improve the standard of education, which is the key to enabling black people to play their full part in a post-apartheid South Africa; and for urban and rural development projects. This increase includes an element which honours a commitment we made at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Kuala Lumpur last October. This was that, rather than contributing to the costs of the independent agency set up to review and report on South Africa's financial links, and of the continuing work of the Commonwealth Committee of Foreign Ministers on South Africa, we would contribute an equivalent amount for additional help for black South Africans.