§ Mr. Robert Taylorasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will give details of the United Kingdom-Zambia copper agreement which resulted in expenditure of £20,000,000 referred to in appendix I, class II, vote 7, of volme I, of the Appropriation Accounts 1978–79.
§ Mr. Neil MartenAs announced to the House on 2 November 1978 by the then Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary [Vol. 957, c. 186–87], the United Kingdom agreed to help meet Zambia's urgent need for foreign exchange by making an advance payment of £20 million in respect of purchases of copper for British industry. It is planned that the copper will be shipped during 1980, and arrangements for repayment of the £20 million advance against shipments have been agreed with the Zambian Government.