HC Deb 08 March 1978 vol 945 cc687-8W
Mr. Sims

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the Official Report the dates and amounts of aid given to the Gilbert Islands from 1945 to date, indicating which sums were specifically provided for projects to supply clean water and to improve sanitation.

Mr. Luard

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Essex, South-East (Sir B. Braine) on 24th February.—[Vol. 944, c.828.]

I regret that detailed breakdowns of aid disbursements within projects are not available prior to 1960. Since 1960 the following projects specifically devoted to the supply of clean water and to improved sanitation have been identified:

Date and Project Amount approved
£
1960
Colony headquarters water supply 21,062
1961
Investigation of water reserves 2,160
1966
Improvement of water supplies 10,800
Water supplies and sanitation 4,940
1970
Improvement of water supplies, S. Tarawa 30,002
Water supply development including construction of test wells, galleries and boreholes to determine extent of water reserves in S. Tarawa; the provision of aqua-privies in communal blocks to supplement reef latrines and the provision of water pumps to expand and improve existing water supply and sewerage facilities particularly at large institutions such as hospitals 15,252
Provision of reservoir to provide source of uncontaminated fresh water at Betio 62,858
1971
Construction of trunk water main Bairiki/Betio to provide water for Betio from uncontaminated reserve 39,261
1972–77
Provision of 360 aqua privies for high density housing 216,077
1972
Rural water supplies and sanitation, Arorae and Tamana—Construction of five galleries; sanitary development of 50 per cent, of existing wells; provision of drinking foun-
tains and water basins for school children; provision of latrines for existing houses. Beneficiaries were five villages on the two islands 7,791
1973
Construction of aquifers at Bonriki and Buota 108,570
Construction of water trunk main pipes—Betio/Bonriki 45,301
Water distribution, Betio—provision of piped water to replace potable and non-potable water which was delivered by truck 88,953
1974
Tewai water supply, S. Tabiteuea. To provide piped drinking water to a village on an islet, separated from the main island, where there was no source of potable water 4,297
1975
Village water distribution—to provide water from main pipe to nine villages in S. Tarawa 18,223
1978
Protection of wells—S. Tarawa 16,659
Outer islands well improvement 14,044