asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he is taking to seek to prevent the re-emergence of famine in sub-Saharan Africa.

We are working with the Governments of the affected countries, and other donors, including the international organisations, to help cope with the complex problems of famine. We seek to help increase indigenous food production, to prevent desertification, to develop food security and early warning systems, and to ensure that measures to avert famine can be taken swiftly.

We are also continuing to respond quickly to emergencies. In the past two weeks I have announced more than £3 million for help in Mozambique.

Is the Minister aware that his commitment to Mozambique amounts to only 20p per head of the population? As about 4 million people are threatened with starvation, and given the key strategic role of Mozambique for all the front-line states, why does the Minister not commit at least £10 per head for the famine population—or £40 million—through an income and foreign exchange support programme for Mozambique?

What steps has the Minister taken, with his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on joint international action to write off a major share of the $130 billion worth of debt in the remainder of sub-Saharan Africa—a debt which denies such countries a chance of fighting famine and saving lives?

As the hon. Gentleman should know, we have taken the lead in writing off official aid debts to the poorest countries. We have written off debts to the tune of about £264 million to the 13 poorest African countries. As for our assistance to Mozambique, the hon. Gentleman's views were not shared by Ministers in Mozambique a week ago.

Given the massive scale of the crisis that has developed in sub-Saharan Africa in recent years, and its likely duration, is there not a strong case for a substantial increase in the aid programme for that region alone, rather than having to help that region at the expense of other poor areas?

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his support. I know how much he knows about the subject. We are hoping to be able to spend more in sub-Saharan Africa in the coming year. This year we are spending about £570 million in Africa on our bilateral programme alone.

Will the Minister acknowledge that we are talking, not just about the quantity of money, but about the quality of investment? Will he also acknowledge the importance of supporting subsistence agriculture? Will he assure the House that the percentage of United Kingdom bilateral aid in that direction will increase?

I certainly agree with the hon. Gentleman about the importance of agriculture and the quality of our programme. I am pleased to be able to say that our bilateral project aid for the renewable natural resources sector rose by 50 per cent. in the five years to 1985 and now stands at £65 million.

Does my hon. Friend agree that the worst way of dealing with sub-Saharan Africa is through a programme of indiscriminate debt write-off and undermining the adjustment programme supported by the IMF, as in the policy advanced by the Opposition last week? Would not such a policy be rightly interpreted as a charter for irresponsible Third world Governments, which all observers agree contribute to the lack of development in the Third world? Is it not essential to face the fact that development in the Third world, like economic activity anywhere else, involves difficult and tough choices?

My hon. Friend is entirely right. There was a marked difference in tone between the action programme agreed by the African countries at the end of the United Nations special session last year and the document produced by the Labour party last week. However, if David Blunkett is to be believed, that document was entirely academic.

Will the geographical redistribution of the British aid effort in the next few years benefit sub-Saharan Africa? In particular, will the countries in the region get an increasing share of whatever that aid budget may be?

That will certainly be my intention over the next year.

Does my hon. Friend agree that any benefit accruing from overseas aid to Mozambique, Zimbabwe and other African nations will be obliterated by the devastation that will follow a policy of universal sanctions against South Africa?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what impact he estimates the appointment of a women's health specialist at his Department will have on project work on women and development.

We believe that the appointment of a new nursing and health services adviser, with particular interest in women's health matters, should further strengthen our capacity to improve the health and wellbeing of women.

Bearing in mind the Minister's comments when he opened the Overseas Development Administration conference on 2 December, does the appointment of a women's health adviser signify a change of policy within his Department? Can we look forward to much-needed women's educational, economic and agricultural advisers in the near future?

No, the appointment does not represent a change of policy. It represents the reaffirmation of an existing, sensible policy.

Does my hon. Friend accept that all development policies, by definition, affect women? Will his Department continue to consider the impact of such policies on women, without forming separate women's units within the Department?

I totally agree with my hon. Friend. I am against tokenism.

Did the Minister see the article by Mr. Davie in The Observer yesterday? If so, what were his reactions, particularly to the suggestion that more positive help should be given to men and women in the Third world to resolve their problems rather than Western agencies imposing solutions upon them?

I did not read that meaning into the article, but I was impressed by the article, as I am with most of Mr. Davie's articles. I took from the article the important role of non-governmental organisations in the development effort. I am delighted to say that we have spent a considerable extra amount on the joint funding scheme with non-governmental organisations and we intend to increase further the amount that we spend on that scheme in the coming years.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many medically qualified personnel are responsible to him in relation to his overseas development responsibilities; and what rank is the most senior of such personnel.

The ODA has two full-time medical advisers on its permanent staff, both of medical officer rank, and a part-time nutrition adviser. One medical adviser post is currently vacant, but will be filled on 2 March. The ODA can also turn for advice to 13 medically qualified lecturers and senior lecturers whom it supports at the Liverpool and London schools of tropical medicine, the University of Edinburgh and the University of London. In addition, the ODA supports more than 80 medically qualified personnel working for Governments or public authorities overseas.

Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the best ways in which this country can help the Third world is through medical advice? From the Minister's reply, it is clear that the Department is inadequat:ely staffed with medical practitioners. Should not the Department have at least somebody of under-secretary rank, or preferably deputy-secretary rank? In view of the current problem of AIDS in Africa, we shall soon have to give a great deal of advice. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is a great deal more important to give sound medical advice than to throw a lot of money into the Third world? Will his Department do a bit better?

I do not agree with everything that my hon. Friend has said, but I agree about the importance of our health and population programmes. At present we are spending about £38 million on those programmes. I believe that in those programmes more emphasis should be placed on primary health care. We should, of course, work through multilateral as well as bilateral prograrnmes and we look forward to giving more support to the World Health Organisation and the work that it is proposing to carry out in relation to AIDS.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards the role of women in development.

Our policy was set out in the booklet "Women in Development", copies of which are available in the Library.

Is the Minister aware that the Government's attitude seems rather complacent in view of continuing reports that the position of women in development issues is becoming worse, not better? Is he aware that a report to be published on Thursday by War on Want sets out the evidence for this? Will he read it carefully and respond positively to its findings?

I hope that I shall respond positively, but I do not always agree with everything that War on Want says; nor, I think, does the Labour party. I am not complacent. I want to see more women being trained under our own programme. Only about 15 per cent. of places currently go to women. We are talking about how to improve that figure with aid-recipient Governments.

What explanation can my hon. Friend offer for the new-found interest of the Liberal party in women?

After the events of last week, I think that I should be careful about referring to the role of women in politics.