HC Deb 12 November 1984 vol 67 cc72-3W
76. Mr. Baldry

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives Her Majesty's Government are currently taking to assist drought affected Africa.

Mr. Raison

We have food aid on its way shortly to Ethiopia and Mozambique. We have now committed to Ethiopia most of the £5 million I announced recently for drought-stricken countries. We have taken the initiative in getting the Council of Ministers to endorse last week a new allocation by the European Community for the same purpose worth £35 million, of which over £20 million will be food aid. We have encouraged the world food programme and the wider UN system to reinforce their efforts to deal with the Ethiopian drought.