HL Deb 11 October 1976 vol 375 cc193-4WA
Baroness VICKERS

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will state what has been given or offered to those countries which have had major earthquakes in the last five months, including Italy and Indonesia.

4. Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

Her Majesty's Government have given or offered help as follows:—

Italy

£100,000 was offered to the Italian authorities on 13th May 1976 to help them with the reconstruction of the Friuli disaster area. The Italian Government are deciding how best to spend this sum. Her Majesty's Government have also provided a supply of tents, camp beds and bedding and the RAF has undertaken, at Italian request, an aerial photographic survey of the area.

Indonesia

Her Majesty's Government made a cash grant of £10,000 to be spent on food and transport operations following the earthquake at Irian Jaya in June.

China

The British Embassy in Peking asked the Chinese authorities in July, following the severe earthquake in North China, whether there was any assistance which Her Majesty's Government could offer, for example, in the form of emergency and medical supplies. This offer was not taken up.

Philippines

Following the earthquake in the Southern Philippines on 16th August and the resulting tidal waves a Royal Air Forces Hercules was despatched to Pagadian in Mindanao from Hong Kong on 20th August with emergency supplies including drugs, vaccines, clothing, tents, blankets and water purification equipment.