HC Deb 29 January 1996 vol 270 cc504-6W
Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the future of his Department's funding for the Lumle agricultural research centre in Nepal; and what plans he has for aid to Nepal in research into disease-resistant crops such as peas, cold tolerant rice and broad leaf mustard. [11735]

Mr. Hanley

The Government will decide later this year on the extent and nature of further aid support for hill agricultural research in Nepal, including the Lumle agricultural research centre, in the light of progress on the present foundation year project.

Research into disease-resistant crops is an important component of current British aid to agricultural research in Nepal. The Lumle agricultural research centre has already successfully produced a cold-tolerant variety of rice, and research into disease resistant tomatoes, wheat, rice, potatoes and maize is currently being undertaken.