HL Deb 15 July 1982 vol 433 c568WA
Lord Merrivale

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assistance they have provided and are prepared to give to the Government of the Republic of Madagascar following this year's disastrous cyclone and flood damage, estimated at $200/250 million by President Ratsiraka,

  1. (a) through the ODA Disaster Unit,
  2. (b) in the form of technical co-operation, and
  3. (c) in regard to damage to infrastructure.

Lord Belstead

In response to requests from the Government of Madagascar, ODA's Disaster Unit have provided medical supplies costing £30,500. In addition they are providing spares to rehabilitate 12 Landrovers needed to carry essential supplies to remote areas; the cost of this is likely to be £5,000 to £6,000.

Under ODA's bilateral technical co-operation programme, a road engineer has been appointed for about four months to co-ordinate and direct local engineers in a work programme which will:—

  1. (a) collate and assess information about the nature and extent of damage to the road network;
  2. (b) plan and implement strategy for making most effective emergency use of the resources available;
  3. (c) prepare crash programme documentation for submission to international donor agencies; and
  4. (d) lay the ground work for longer term policy on road maintenance and improvement including equipment upkeep and staff training.

Subject to the engineer's recommendations, we are ready to consider what further technical co-operation might be provided.

House adjourned at fourteen minutes past ten o'clock.