Mr. Brian Harrisonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has yet received details of the damage caused by the hurricane, Bebe, in Fiji; what aid has been given by the United Kingdom Government; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. KershawWe have received reports of the damage caused by the hurricane from our High Commissioner at Suva, who has remained in close touch with the Fiji authorities. My right hon. Friend looks forward to receiving a firsthand account of the situation from my hon. Friend, the Under-Secretary, who visited Fiji earlier this month and accompanied the Fiji Deputy Prime Minister on a helicopter tour of some of the devastated areas.
As I told the House on 6th November, Her Majesty's Government made an immediate cash contribution of 25,000 Fiji dollars, about £12,500, to the Fiji Prime Minister's hurricane relief fund.
Her Majesty's Government have since responded to the Fiji Government's request for emergency food supplies by airlifting to Fiji quantities of tinned meat and fish, skimmed milk powder, baby milk powder, margarine and cooking oil in aircraft of the Royal Air Force Strike Command.—[Vol. 345, c. 54.]
Mr. Brian Harrisonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has yet received details of the damage caused by the hurricane, Bebe, in the Ellice Islands; what aid has been given by the United Kingdom Government; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. KershawThe Governor has reported that Funafuti, the principal island of the Ellice Group, with a population of 820, suffered extensive damage by cyclone Bebe. Casualties were three dead and two missing presumed dead. Seven hundred people have lost their homes. Most of the buildings on the island, including the meteorological station and other facilities, were seriously damaged or destroyed. Coconut trees and other food crops in the area of the main settlements were virtually wiped out.
483WNo reports of significant damage to the other Ellice islands have been received.
The Governor's latest report is that the immediate emergency has been met. Food and shelter are available for all. Medical and other essential services have been restored.
The British Government contributed £10,000 to the colony's hurricane relief fund. We are urgently considering, in consultation with the Governor, further measures for clearing the village site and for reconstruction and rehabilitation. An officer of the Royal Engineers is flying to the colony to assess ways in which they might help.
I should like to take this opportunity of acknowledging with appreciation the swift and effective initial relief measures conducted by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, contributions to the relief fund from the Government of Australia, the United Nations Disaster Relief Fund, the British Phosphate Commissioners, and gifts in kind from the Government of Nauru and many other smaller but equally generous gifts.