Clause 2 - Development Assistance for UK Overseas Territories
International Development Bill
Public Bill Committees, 13 March 2001, 6:30 pm
Mr Chris Mullin (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for International Development; Sunderland South, Labour)
Clause 2 provides a modified form of the power taken in clause 1 to allow the United Kingdom to continue to provide support to the overseas territories, which reflects our continuing responsibilities in relation to them. It allows the Secretary of State to offer development assistance without needing to be satisfied that the provision is likely to contribute to a reduction in poverty, which is the overriding requirement of clause 1. However, assistance provided must meet the purposes set out in clause 2, which are furthering sustainable development or promoting the welfare of the people. The effect of the amendment would be to ensure that the Secretary of State could help overseas territories to establish communications systems. However, it would not place her under a duty to do so, although its mention might raise an inference that such a use of her powers would be reasonable and would therefore make doing so harder to resist.
The Government must resist the amendment. There is no question that the Bill would allow the Secretary of State to support the establishment of communications systems where such support would either further sustainable development or improve the welfare of the people of an overseas territory. The Department for International Development has funded many communications projects in overseas territories in recent years, so there is no doubt to alleviate and the amendment is unnecessary. To single out such support for specific mention serves only to call into question what other developments could be assisted.
The forthcoming departmental report will show that resources will be made available to the Pitcairn Islands for essential infrastructure. The Falkland Islands have not been in receipt of UK development assistance since 1997 as a result of the exceptional progress that the area has made in achieving self-sufficiency.
The Bill will not adversely affect the Government's existing support to overseas territories because clause 2 will ensure that that is allowed. I must therefore ask the hon. Lady to withdraw the amendment.