§ Mr. Tinnasked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will make a statement on the recent financial talks with the Government of Malawi.
§ Mr. PrenticeThese talks are held annually to discuss the British aid programme in Malawi. For 1969 the British Government have offered to provide the Malawi Government with a grant-in-aid of up to £2. 8 million budgetary assistance together with up to £3 million (including £0. 4 million carried forward from 1968) for approved development purposes, mainly in the form of interest free loans. These amounts form part of the British Government's existing commitments of aid to Malawi up to the end of 1970, details of which were given to the House on 21st December, 1965, 23rd November, 1966, 24th January, 1968 and 25th June, 1968.
The British Government have also offered to provide an additional interest-free loan of up to £140,000 to enable the Malawi Government to meet commutation payments in 1969 to officers designated under the Overseas Service Aid Scheme.
The Malawi Government have accepted these offers of budgetary and other assistance.
178WPaliament will, in due course, be asked to provide the necessary funds.—[Vol. 722, c. 403–4; Vol. 736, c. 331–2; Vol. 757, c. 147–48; Vol. 767, c. 64.]