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DATE 18
COL. 1620-1622 VOL 976
Oral Answers
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16 JANUARY 1980
of State will he make it plain to Mr. Vance that we share American feeling about the outrage that is continuing against the personnel of the United States Embassy in Tehran? Was this danger- ous and, in my view, intolerable situation discussed at yesterday's meeting of NATO at Brussels, and if so, with what effect?
Mr. Ridley: I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for those comments, which express entirely the Government's view about the continued detention of the American hostages in Tehran. I assure him that there has been no lack of activity to try to co-ordinate action, both in Europe and with our American allies, on what should be the next stage of the response after the failure of the United Nations motion.
Rhodesia
7. Mr. Maxton asked the Lord Privy Seal what staff will be attached to the Governor of Rhodesia in Salisbury to deal with aid and development planning and co-operation during the transitional period.
The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Richard Luce): There are no staff attached to the Governor specifically for this purpose.
But senior officials from
the Overseas Development Administration visited Salisbury from 8 to 12 January to make a preliminary assessment of Rhodesia's aid requirements.
Mr. Maxton : I am glad that those staff have gone to Rhodesia to take account of the situation there. Will the Minister make an announcement to the House on the level of aid that the Gov- crnment propose to make available to Zimbabwe following the elections? Will he make that announcement now, or at least before the elections, and give an assurance to the House that the level of aid will not be dependent in any way upon the outcome of the elections in Zimbabwe?
Mr. Luce: The British Government have already made it plain that they are Willing to consider any requests for aid that emanate from a newly formed Gov- ament. Obviously, it is too early as
:
Once a Government have been d in March, and once they form aw that they would like to request From the United Kingdom, we shall
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be very willing to consider that ret In the meantime there are some forINS temporary assistance that the British Gov- ernment have already given.
Dame Judith Hart: While it is not surprising that that represents a change from the policy of the previous Govern- ment is the hon. Gentleman aware that it is a serious matter? Is the hon. Gentle- man aware that it had been assumed that a certain amount of money would be available not from the aid budget but the contingency fund for the inevitable and necessary assistance with the eco- nomic development of an independent Zimbabwe? I am sure that the hon. Gentleman also knows that there was an effort to elicit the assistance of other countries in forming a Zimbabwe develop- ment fund. If he is not able to comment on these matters today, will he under- take to make, very soon, a full statement to the House on the whole issue?
Mr. Luce: As the right hon. Lady rightly suggests, there have been consider- able changes in Rhodesia since the Gov- ernment assumed office. I do not quite understand what it is that she is getting at when she talks about aid. As she well knows, we provide considerable sums for the education of Rhodesian students,
We
principally in this country. When a newly formed Government emerge in March, we shall be ready to consider any form of assistance that they want. have already been assured by the United States and by Western European countries that they will be ready to consider forms of assistance.
Hong Kong
8. Mr. Canavan asked the Lord Privy Seal when he expects to meet the Gover- nor of Hong Kong.
Mr. Ridley: My right hon. Friend has, at present, no plans to do so, but my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the hon. Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Blaker) met the Governor on Friday 11 January.
Mr. Canavan: Will the Minister in- struct the Governor to repeal the Dra- conian public order law that makes it a criminal offence for three or more persons to hold a meeting in a public place? Is he aware that it is a law that may be used by the police to intimidate workers
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