§ Mrs. Ewingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the extent of relief being provided to Nigeria and Biafra.
§ Mr. FoleyRelief work in the areas affiected by the civil war is co-ordinated and largely sustained by the International Committee of the Red Cross, who are making great efforts to provide medical aid and food to all those who need help. Her Majesty's Government and many other Governments and a number of charitable organisations have given contributions in money or in kind. These amounted up to the end of October to more than £4 million. Because Colonel Ojukwu has not yet agreed to a land-corridor or to relief flights by day, supplies of medicines and food for Biafra are limited to the modest capacity of airlifts by night from Fernando Po and Sao Tome. These supplies may soon be inadequate to deal with the situation, if it deteriorates in the way that we fear is likely.
The l.C.R.C. has recently made a world-wide appeal for more than £3 million to finance the continuation of their work up to the end of February, 1969. The question of a British contribution is being urgently considered.