§ Mr. Tinnasked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will make a statement on the recent financial talks with the Government of Malawi.
§ Mrs. HartTalks are held annually to discuss the British aid programme in208W Malawi. For Malawi's forthcoming financial year, which will now accord with the United Kingdom financial year, the British Government have offered to provide the Malawi Government with a grant-in-aid of up to £2.1 million budgetary assistance together with up to £2.7 million for approved development purposes in the form of interest-free loans, and up to £0.3 million grant money towards the building costs of Malawi University. These amounts comprise part of the British Government's existing commitment of aid to Malawi up to the end of 1970 (details of which were given to the House on 21st December, 1965, 24th January, 1968, and 25th June, 1968), together with a new commitment of budgetary aid for 1st January, 1971–31st March, 1971, and part of a new interest-free development loan of £3.35 million for the 15-months' period from 1st January, 1971.
The British Government have also offered to provide an additional interest-free loan of up to £43,000 to enable the Malawi Government to meet their share of the actuarial deficit in the Central African Pensions Fund.
The Malawi Government have accepted these offers of budgetary and other assistance.