§ Mr. Talbotasked the Lord Privy Seal whether Her Majesty's Government propose to give economic assistance to Laos following the Geneva Agreement.
§ Mr. P. ThomasYes, if the Geneva Agreement is to succeed, the economy of Laos must be urgently restored after the last two years of fighting. In order to contribute to the success of this Agreement and to mark our confidence in the efforts which Prince Souvanna Phouma is making to ensure the security and welfare of Laos, Her Majesty's Government have decided to contribute capital aid and technical assistance to Laos, amounting to £1,350,000 over a five-year period. Her Majesty's Government will also make a grant of £1 million per year for three years to finance a carefully regulated programme of essential commodity imports into Laos.
It is anticipated that expenditure of the order of £250,000 may be incurred during the current financial year and Parliament will be asked to vote that amount by means of a Supplementary Estimate. In the meantime, an advance will be obtained from the Civil Contingencies Fund as necessary.