Former MP for East Ham South
I am glad of this opportunity to join in what I am sure will be the general welcome of the House for this report. Even the hon. and learned Member for Buckinghamshire, South (Mr. Bell), who introduced more doubts into the debate than anyone else has done, at least said that the general trend of the report is one that he follows. Like others, I want to compliment my hon. Friend the Member for...
The Under-Secretary has rested his case on the complexity of the matter and the need for caution in approach. However, can he assure us that there is no controversy behind the decision to delay? In the reactions of the various bodies to the report, has there been unanimity and general acceptance of the principles of the report? My impression is that there has, and I believe that that is the...
The whole House will support all measures taken to relieve the situation, but is not the long-term lesson to be drawn that prevention is better than cure? Does not this imply that there should be a greatly expanded official aid programme, particularly for the provision of the necessary rural infrastructure, which has been proved to be deplorably absent in Ethiopia?
May I ask whether it is next week that the House is to expect the promised statement on population policy? Also, will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind not only his promise that such a statement would be made in the autumn, but the fact that United Nations Population Year begins on 1st January and that many people want to know the Government's policies in respect of that event?
Is it not clear that if peace is to be consolidated, as we all hone it will be, massive aid will be necessary? While it is clear that arrangments for this must await international agreements in the main, would it not be helpful, since we have had a bilateral programme dealing with South Vietnam, to say that it would be possible for this aid programme, for which we have immediate authority, to...
Can the right hon. Gentleman say a little more about the timetable of this proposed trade treaty with the Community? While it may be true that from the Community's point of view trade arrangements with the Mediterranean are important, is it not the case that from the Common Market point of view a trade agreement with India is also highly important? Can we be assured that Her Majesy's...
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the recent official visit of the Minister for Overseas Development to countries in Southern Asia.
During the right hon. Gentleman's visit, were fears expressed to him that when Britain joins the Common Market South Asian countries would suffer in terms of aid and trade? Was he able to assure those to whom he spoke that Francophone African countries would not receive aid at the expense of countries in South Asia?
