---

Zimbabwe

The whole House is grateful to the Minister for being so generous in giving way, and we recognise the great difficulties with which she is trying to wrestle. I wish to return to the point that I made earlier about the overseas pensioners. The note that the Minister was sent did not address the point at issue. I am specifically asking for an undertaking today that some part of the £33 million of aid will be specifically earmarked for those whose continued service through independence was responsible for reassuring the white community that there would be some stability after independence. The fact that they honoured their commitment to stay on led to the successful transition. Lord Trefgarne wrote that the independence constitution provides"““full safeguards for public service pensions and their remittability””." That has not happened, and I ask the Minister for an undertaking today that those people will be looked after through the British taxpayers’ money that is going to Zimbabwe. Let us earmark some of it for those people.