HL Deb 10 August 1972 vol 334 c1427WA
LORD MERRIVALE

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are their present technical assistance (educational and non-educational) and capital aid programmes in the Malagasy Republic; and along what lines they intend developing them.

THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)

The technical assistance programme in the educational field for the Malagsy Republic in 1972/73 provides three teachers of English for the English Language Centre in Tananarive; nineteen volunteer English teachers; copies of historical documents for the Malagasy National Archives; and teacher training courses in Britain for fifteen Malagsy students. In other fields the programme provides for a feasibility study of the Fort Dauphin-Manantenina road; and the training in Britain of an engineer in the maintenance of agricultural equipment. The total cost of the technical assistance programme is estimated at £119,000.

So far this year, no capital aid commitment has been entered into but it is hoped to agree suitable projects in due course. It is intended that our aid programme should continue in future at least at the present level.