§ Lord HYLTONasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking in Zimbabwe to avert food shortages, malnutrition and starvation, between now and the general election.
§ Lord CARRINGTONThe Governor is keeping a close watch on the problems of malnutrition and food distribution in Rhodesia. Malnutrition is not a new problem in the country, but there is no doubt that it has been aggravated by the war, which has disrupted health services and food production. Similarly, food distribution has also been seriously affected. There is no overall shortage of food: it is simply a matter of getting it to the people who need it. With the ceasefire, matters are improving: roads are being put back into use and Government restrictions which were designed to deny food to guerrillas, have been lifted. Appropriate action will be taken if matters do not improve sufficiently.