§ Mr. Hattersleyasked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will give assistance to the people of central Vietnam who have recently been the victims of disastrous floods.
§ Mr. George ThomsonMy right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has sent the Vietnamese Foreign Minister a message of sympathy on behalf of Her Majesty's Government. We are now despatching blankets and other supplies, as may be appropriate, for the relief of those rendered homeless in Vietnam. The cost of Her Majesty's Government's contribution will be £5,000. Parliament will in due course be asked to vote this amount by means of a Supplementary Estimate. Meanwhile an advance has been obtained from the Civil Contingencies Fund. The Save the Children Fund have also contributed £1,000 towards the cost of this assistance. In addition, the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief have agreed to contribute £2,500, to be used partly for immediate relief and partly for reconstruction and rehabilitation.