§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much financial help has now been given by Her Majesty's Government towards supporting India with the cost of maintaining refugees from East Pakistan now in India; what additional help he proposes to give in the next six months; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleI would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's statements to the House on 8th and 9th of June. HOT Majesty's Government made an immediate contribution of £1 million to the United Nations Secretary-General's Appeal Fund for the Refugees. We are also contributing £750,000 in the form of food aid through the World Food Programme. We are making available a total of £250,000 to meet the cost of Royal Air Force and charter flights and the cost of saline solution, syringes and vaccines which have enabled the British charities to give immediate help to the Indian authorities. Of this amount £177,000 has already been committed. Supplementary provision for £250,000 will be sought in due course and, if necessary, an advance will be made in the meantime from the Contingencies Fund. This sum includes the amount of £18,000 which I notified to the House on 11th May.
We are ready to consider further contributions to the relief effort, but it is not possible yet to forecast what may be needed over the next six months.—[Vol. 818, c. 862–4, 1066–70; Vol. 817, c. 206–7.]
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much financial help has been given by the United Nations in assisting India with the cost of maintaining refugees from East Pakistan now in India; what additional help he expects to be given by the United Nations in the next six months; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleOur latest information is that about $30 million has been contributed by Governments to U Thant's appeal for the refugees. $500,000 has been made available by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, $400,000 in kind by U.N.I.C.E.F. and 73W $3,100,000 by the World Food Programme. Assistance is being coordinated by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in co-operation with the Indian Government. I am sure that the United Nations will continue to respond to the needs of the situation, but it is not yet possible to say how these will develop over the next six months.