HC Deb 10 January 1995 vol 252 cc13-5W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what was the cost of the original aid for trade element in the Cikampek-Padalarang toll road, Indonesia,(a) in cash terms and (b) as proportion of the total estimated costs; what payments were ultimately made; and what proportion of the total outturn cost they represented;

(2) when the release of aid for trade funds for the Cikampek-Padalarang toll road, Indonesia, was agreed; and when the project was (a) commenced and (b) completed.

Mr. Baldry

In 1988, the Government agreed to provide £16.85 million—30.1 per cent. of the officially supported package—towards the cost of constructing the Cikampek-Padalarang toll road, Indonesia. Of this, £4.7 million has been spent on surveys, detailed design and geological investigations. The remainder will he provided as a mixed credit towards the cost of construction.

Project negotiations are continuing and are not expected to be completed until April next year. The total costs will not be known until the project has been completed. Nevertheless, the total of official support for the project will not exceed £16.85 million.

Mr. Foulkes

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 13 December,Official Report, columns 373–74, if he will indicate whether the aid and trade project in Indonesia was approved alongside any other ATP projects; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Baldry

[holding answer 20 December 1994]: The Bandung TV studio project was approved in January 1986 alongside a project to supply new radio equipment for the central radio studios in Jakarta to replace equipment lost in a fire which severely disrupted national radio programmes. The ODA considered that there was a sound developmental case for the provision of aid in support of the radio studio equipment project. The two projects have been pursued separately since October 1986.

Mr. Foulkes

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 13 December,Official Report, columns 373–74, if he will give the date that an appraisal was carried out on the Indonesian television studio project; and if he will publish the results of the appraisal in full.

Mr. Baldry

[holding answer 20 December 1994]: Consideration and approval of the project was based upon a number of reports from ODA and DTI staff and consultants following visits to Indonesia during 1985 and early 1986. In line with established policy, the ODA does not publish its projects appraisals.

Mr. Foulkes

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 13 December,Official Report columns 373–74, if he will outline the main aims and objectives of the aid and trade provision project in Indonesia and indicate what factors led the ODA to consider that it might fall outside the scope of the Overseas Development and Co-operation Act 1980 in the light of the High Court judgment on Pergau.

Mr. Baldry

[holding answer 20 December 1994]: The main aims and objectives of the project were to supply equipment to the Indonesian television authority for a new television studio complex constructed at Bandung to assist the service in producing programmes. The factors which led ODA to consider that, in the light of the court's judgment, the project fell outside the scope of the Act were concerns about the developmental soundness of the project and the weight attached to commercial and political considerations in the decision to allocate aid.

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