HC Deb 15 December 1982 vol 34 cc152-3W
Mr. Alton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement outlining the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the granting of official development assistance to the Government of Ethiopia.

Mr. Neil Marten

There are at present no plans to increase official development assistance to the Government of Ethiopia, but we shall continue to be ready to provide humanitarian assistance.

Mr. Alton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a breakdown into the categories of food aid, disaster relief, development loans and grants, and other, of financial aid given by Her Majesty's Government to the Ethiopian Government in the years 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982 to 30 September, and a breakdown of technical co-operation funds provided to the same Government over the same period into amounts under the refugee student scheme and other.

Mr. Neil Marten

Following are the figures:

development in Namibia, noted in his reply of 17 November, Official Report, c. 193, is co be posted to Lusaka in Zambia and not to Namibia.

Mr. Neil Marten

The English language expert is being recruited for the United Nations Institute for Namibia which is located in Lusaka. The Institute was set up in 1976 under the aegis of the United Nations Council for Namibia: its purpose is to enable Namibians, many of whom are political exiles, to develop and acquire the necessary skills for manning the public service of an independent Namibia.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why, pursuant to his reply of 25 November, Official Report, c. 544, Namibia's opportunities for training work in the areas of child care, nursing, pharmacy and other subjects are judged to be limited within pre-independence Namibia.

Mr. Neil Marten

Most aid schemes are administered in co-operation with recipient Governments. Her Majesty's Government do not recognise the South African occupation of Namibia as lawful and have no dealings with the current administration that was set up following the 1978 internal elections. This seriously limits the opportunities for training in Namibia in all fields, not only those mentioned by the hon. Member.