§ Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received any requests for assistance to relieve the drought situation in West Africa and India; and what reply he has given.
§ Mr. WoodI have decided to offer the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation a contribution of £300,000 in response to his appeal for donations to a special trust fund of 15 million dollars to provide animal feed, vaccine and well-deepening equipment for the drought-affected States of Sahelian Africa. This is in addition to the European Community's aid, of which Britain will bear her assessed share, estimated at £435,000. On 10th May I announced a contribution of additional aid to UNICEF for water-drilling rigs in India. I have recently discussed the drought situation with representatives of the Government of India. I have made it perfectly clear that we are ready to help if asked to do so, but for the present, in their handling of the situation, the Indian Government have no further requests to make of us.