HL Deb 01 February 1989 vol 503 cc1202-3WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What view they take of the agreement between the Midland Bank, the Government of the Sudan and UNICEF, whereby debt was extinguished and £442,000 is to be provided in local currency for health, water and reforestation in Kordofan Province; whether they are in touch with the Institute of Development Studies about similar schemes in other countries; and whether they believe that the Sudanese example should be widely followed.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Glenarthur)

We warmly welcome the Midland Bank's voluntary decision to reduce Sudan's debt obligations and the arrangements under which this will work. We have not discussed such schemes with the IDS although we are in touch with them about a wide range of development issues. We welcome the increasing use by banks and debtors of a wide range of voluntarily negotiated arrangements in managing their debt difficulties.