§ Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much bilateral aid is given, directly or indirectly, by Her Majesty's Government to the Philippines.
§ Mr. RaisonIn 1983, the latest year for which figures are available, total disbursements amounted to £3,714,000 including £2,916,000 invested by the Commonwealth Development Corporation.
§ Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when payments are due to be completed by the Commonwealth Development Corporation of the sum of £6.4 million to the National Development Company-Guthrie project in Mindanao.
§ Mr. RaisonPayments are due to be completed not later than the end of 1985 but this date could be extended by agreement.
§ Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether recent incidents on the National Development Company-Guthrie plantation in Mindanao, such as the reported presence of the Lost Command on the plantation for several months during 1984, cause the Overseas Development Administration or the Commonwealth Development Corporation to reconsider their relations with the National Development Company-Guthrie.
§ Mr. RaisonNo.
§ Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will place in the Library a copy of the Commonwealth Development Corporation report of its inquiry into allegations that, between May and September 1984, members of the Lost Command were regularly present at night on the National Development Company-Guthrie plantation in Mindanao, in apparent contravention of the conditions attached to the Commonwealth Development Corporation loan to the company announced by the Overseas Development Administration in January 1983.
§ Mr. RaisonThe Commonwealth Development Corporation has assured me that it has inquired into the allegations of regular Lost Command presence at night on the plantation but could find no basis for them. No more detailed report by the CDC is available. The conditions in the agreement attached to the CDC loan stipulate that a security force shall be appointed, replacing the previous security arrangements, and shall be responsible for protecting employees; and also that the borrower shall take measures within its power to ensure that its employees shall be protected against harassment. There is, however, no practical way of ensuring that the project estate and the roads through it are closed against outsiders.