§ 54. Mr. Wilkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the progress of the distribution of 207W British provisions for humanitarian relief within East Pakistan.
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeThe contribution by Her Majesty's Government for humanitarian relief in East Pakistan is being channelled through the United Nations. The United Nations Secretary General's representative in East Pakistan and representatives of the Food and Agricultural Organisation, World Food Programme, World Health Organisation and United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund are currently working with the Pakistan authorities on the receipt, storage, internal transport and distribution of relief aid.
§ 30. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent developments in East Pakistan so far as British aid and interests are concerned.
§ 36. Mr. Bidwellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in East Pakistan so far as aid from the United Kingdom is concerned.
§ 37. Sir F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Pakistan so far as aid from the United Kingdom is concerned.
§ Mr. WoodI have nothing to add to the statement my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary made on 23rd June.—[Vol. 819, c. 1436–37.]
§ 31. Mr. Laneasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a further statement on the build-up of British relief supplies for refugees from East Pakistan.
§ 34. Mr. Prenticeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the disbursement of aid to India to assist with the burden of refugees from East Bengal; and whether he will now make a pledge of further aid in addition to the sums already announced.
208W
§ Mr. WoodWe offered £2 million in response to the United Nations appeal. Most of this sum has been paid to the High Commissioner for Refugees. My right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary promised £5 million more on 23rd June. £2.8 million of this offer is committed to the purchase and shipment of rice and shelter materials, and £1.75 million is set aside for an emergency airlift of rice and for transport vehicles. Some of the promised funds are therefore still available.
§ 40 and 41. Mr. J. H. Osbornasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what is his latest estimate of the cost of the development, budgetary and relief requirements needed to deal with the refugee, and deteriorating economic situation, in East and West Bengal; and what is now Great Britain's commitment for relieving the overall situation;
(2) if he will summarise the development, budgetary and relief aid which will be given to Pakistan and to which he is still committed in the current year; and how much of this will be used directly or indirectly in East Pakistan.
§ Mr. WoodIn July, 1970, Her Majesty's Government pledged £10 million in development aid to Pakistan. Loans of £7.6 million were signed and this aid is continuing to flow. Most of this consists of non-project aid provided to the Central Government and it is not possible to say with any accuracy how much of it will go to East Pakistan. We provide no budgetary aid. We have offered to the United Nations £1 million of relief aid in response to the Secretary-General's appeal in June for the population of East Pakistan. No estimate has been made of the total requirements there.
I answered a Question from the hon. Member for Eccles (Mr. Carter-Jones) on 22nd July about the problems caused by the refugees in West Bengal, and I have nothing at present to add to it.—[Vol. 821, c. 340–41.]
§ Mr. J. H. Osbornasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest estimate he has received of the number of refugees who have reached India from East Pakistan, 209W and the annual cost of relief, and what is the value of British official relief effort to which he is committed in the current year.
§ Mr. WoodI have nothing to add at present to the answers I have made to the hon. Member for Eccles (Mr. Lewis Carter-Jones) on 29th June and 22nd July.—[Vol. 820, c.92; Vol. 821, c. 340–1.]