§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Minister of Overseas Development if she has held discussions with British Airways, other major airlines, the major shipping companies and railways with a view to getting them to deliver relief supplies and other aid free of charge; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mrs. HartIt would be unreasonable to expect the United Kingdom transport organisations always to bear such considerable costs. But the disaster unit of my Ministry is often able to assist British voluntary agencies with the transport costs of disaster relief supplies out of funds voted by Parliament for such relief; and the disaster unit and the voluntary agencies have made use from time to time of International Air Transport Authority resolution No. 200, which enables airlines to authorise concessionary transport for disaster relief supplies. I am sending a copy of the resolution to my hon. Friend.