§ 136. Miss Richardsonasked the Minister of Overseas Development if she is planning to give any scientific aid to Vietnam; and, if so, what form it will take.
§ Miss Richardsonasked the Minister of Overseas Development if she has offered Vietnam long-term credit at a not unreasonable rate of interest to enable the country to purchase technology from the United Kingdom.
§ Mrs. HartSince 1977 aid offered to Vietnam has been technical co-operation, which is on grant terms. The aid offered under the aid/trade contingency provision would assist the Government of Vietnam to purchase turbines and ships from the United Kingdom. In addition, a limited amount of medium-term credit has been made available by ECGD at the internationally agreed interest rate.
§ Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Minister of Overseas Development what are the latest figures available for the aid given to Vietnam broken down into individual projects; what plans she has for increasing this aid; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mrs. HartI refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. and learned Member for Kinross and Perthshire (Mr. Nicholas Fairbairn) on 25th April.—[Vol. 948, c. 538–40.].
In the current financial year we are continuing to provide technical cooperation, mainly in the form of English language training in the United Kingdom for about 50 Vietnamese students, at a cost of about £200,000. We have offered the Government of Vietnam assistance from the aid-trade contingency provision in meeting part of the cost of five British-built cargo vessels and part of the cost of 372W British-built gas turbines for a power station at Haiphong.
We have offered 4,750 tons of flour to Vietnam, to be distributed through UNHCR.