§ Miss LestorTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs between which dates in March and April 1989 the Secretary of State for Defence visited Malaysia; which Malaysian Government Ministers he met; and if aid funding for Malaysia was discussed during that visit. [22675]
§ Mr. GoodladMy right hon. and noble Friend Lord Younger, while Secretary of State for Defence, paid a visit to Malaysia on 31 March 1989 as part of a tour of the region. He met the Malaysian Ministers of Defence and Finance. The purpose of his visit was to discuss defence matters, but it is normal for a Cabinet Minister on such visits to discuss any important outstanding issues. In a general discussion on bilateral issues with the Finance Minister, he asked about progress on two planned civil infrastructure projects for which aid and trade provision support had been offered—the Pergau dam and another project not in the event won by a British firm.