House of Commons Hansard Debates for 12 May 1993

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Sir Michael Marshall : Does my right hon. Friend agree that one of the most important ways of ensuring the peacekeeping process of the United Nations, particularly after a period of civil war, is through the organisation of free and fair elections? In that context, will my right hon. Friend take the opportunity to send good wishes to all those who will be involved in the process in Cambodia, including hon. Members and local government officials who, with other international representatives, will be leaving for Cambodia next week?

Mr. Hurd : My hon. Friend is quite right. Cambodia is one example where the United Nations has, for the moment, brought most of the fighting to an end and set up a framework in which there can, and should be, relatively free elections later this month. The situation is fragile, however, and my hon. Friend is right that all those concerned need our help and good wishes.

Rev. Martin Smyth : I welcome the Secretary of State's comment that the situation in Cambodia is fragile. Can he enlighten us as to how far the peacekeeping efforts of United Nations are impeded by the lack of finance from one of its largest participants? Does he accept that in Yugoslavia, where our troops are now changing over, humanitarian efforts were being hindered by those who were seeking to use the convoys bringing in aid for the purpose of supplying munitions? It would be worse if the United Nations were arming the participants there.

Mr. Hurd : It is true that one of the handicaps that the Secretary- General has suffered and draws attention to in his "Agenda for Peace" is financial uncertainty. Unfortunately, both former super-powers have in the past contributed to that uncertainty. I hope that both are removing that uncertainty. That is certainly the intention of President Clinton, but I am not encouraged by the Russian veto in the Security Council yesterday on financing peacekeeping. I agree with the hon. Gentleman's second point : we want to continue the humanitarian effort while it is needed.

Russia

13. Mr. Peter Ainsworth : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the effect on United Kingdom policy of the result of the recent referendum in Russia.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : We have warmly welcomed the outcome of last month's referendum in Russia. Our policy remains one of firm support for the continuation of economic and democratic reforms. This policy has now been endorsed by the Russian electorate.

Mr. Ainsworth : Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that the sheer scale of the support shown by the Russian people for Boris Yeltsin and the programme of reforms gives a tremendous boost to international confidence in the long-term future of Russia? Does he also agree that in the near term substantial aid will be necessary to help the difficult process of economic transformation? Will he therefore comment on the quantity and quality of Britain's aid to Russia?

Mr. Hogg : My hon. Friend is right. He will know that last month my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced a doubling of United Kingdom direct bilateral

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grant aid, together with a doubling of Export Credits Guarantee Department cover. Our total commitment to Russia is of the order of $1.7 billion. Referring to the quality of the aid, the United Kingdom's know-how fund is second to none as a mechanism for the delivery of technical know-how.

Mr. Cryer : If the Minister welcomes a referendum in Russia to clarify the position, why does he not take the same view of a referendum in the United Kingdom on the Maastricht treaty? It would clarify the position, and involve the people of the United Kingdom in determining whether to go ahead with this wretched treaty or reject it. If the people of Russia can have a democratic vote, why not the people of the United Kingdom?

Mr. Hogg : I have always known that the hon. Gentleman has a personality difficulty when it comes to judging things in relation to other things. He obviously equates the congress in Russia, which was elected under the Gorbachev regime, with this place. I do not, and I am sorry that he does.

BBC World Service

14. Mr. Bates : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the BBC World Service.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The World Service is an institution of great influence and prestige throughout the world. The substantial real increase in resources that we have provided, and are providing again this financial year, has enabled it to improve audibility, expand output and enhance programme quality.

Mr. Bates : I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that answer, and for reaffirming the Government's priority in maintaining the strength and position of the BBC World Service as the leading international broadcaster. Does my hon. Friend agree that in times of international conflict and uncertainty the need for an independent and unbiased news service around the world is greater than ever? Does he further agree that this can sometimes be best achieved by placing special emphasis on developing new language services so that the programmes broadcast become more widely accessible to the people whom they seek to serve?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : I am happy to agree with my hon. Friend about the leading role that the World Service plays in the world of international broadcasting and its tremendous achievements. It is due to Foreign and Commonwealth Office recognition of those achievements, which have been followed by substantial assistance and funding that the World Service has been able to do so well

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in recent years. In the past three year funding period, for example, broadcasts were increased by more than 10 per cent. and two new languages in areas of tension--Ukrainian and Albanian-- were introduced.

Mr. George Robertson : Is the Minister aware that his views on the World Service, and those of the hon. Member for Langbaurgh (Mr. Bates), are shared throughout the House? The service is held in the highest esteem throughout the globe, not just in terms of the quality of its broadcasting but in terms of its reliability. It is widely regarded as the most reliable broadcasting service on the planet. Does the Minister recognise that there is genuine concern about the future funding of the World Service, given that it has been warned that it may well face substantial cuts in the Treasury spending blitz that is ahead of us? If it were to share in those cuts and its service were cut back, that would be not just a disgrace but hugely counterproductive to Britain's national interest.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : I am fully aware of the widespread acclaim for the World Service in all parts of the House and I emphasise that the funding increase for the World Service from the Foreign Office budget over the past 10 years or so has been 40 per cent. in real terms. This year, the increase has been £10 million, which is way above the rate of inflation. What has happened--this is what the hon. Gentleman is referring to--is that the Foreign Office has been in touch with the World Service and said that, depending on the outcome of the public expenditure survey, we shall have to have discussions and if the Foreign Office is unable to meet the aspirations of the World Service, its funding will be put on the same footing as the rest of the Foreign Office budget when it comes to reviewing expenditure.

Sir Peter Tapsell : Does my right hon. Friend recall that, on a previous occasion when the Treasury required economies to be made in the foreign service budget, one of the economies made was to close down Spanish broadcasts to Latin America a few weeks before the Argentines invaded the Falkland Islands? Will he make absolutely certain that this immensely valuable institution, which does more for British influence and prestige throughout the world than probably any other activity of the Foreign Office, is protected from the next round of economy cuts?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : I am grateful to receive the message of my hon. Friend in the spirit of support for the World Service. I do not believe that there are any cuts in prospect in terms of languages from the World Service. My hon. Friend has referred to an earlier occasion when there were threats ; it is since then that the World Service has expanded in such a tremendous way.

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