HL Deb 15 June 1961 vol 232 cc382-3WA
LORD KILLEARN

asked Her Majesty's Government:

  1. (1) Which States, members of the United Nations Organisation, are in default
    1. (a) in regard to their contribution to the regular Budget; and
    2. (b) in regard to the Special Budget of the United Nations Organisation Emergency Forces;
  2. (2) How much the default is in each individual case; and
  3. (3) Whether, as is understood to be the correct procedure after two years' default, any steps have been taken or are contemplated to withdraw their vote in the General Assembly.

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE)

The answers to the first two parts of the noble Lord's Question are set out in the monthly reports by the United Nations Secretariat of which the latest issue gives the situation as it was on April 30. I am sending the noble Lord a copy of this and also placing one in the Library of the House. The reference number of the United Nations publication is ST/ADM/SER.B/144 dated May 16. The information requested appears on pages 8 and 9, 14–18 and 22–24.

As regards the third part of the Question, the noble Lord will be aware that the Charter of the United Nations provides an automatic penalty in Article 19, which reads as follows: A Member of the United Nations which is in arrears in the payment of its financial contributions to the Organisation shall have no vote in the General Assembly if the amount of its arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the preceding two full years. The General Assembly may, nevertheless, permit such a Member to vote if it is satisfied that the failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the Member. No Member has yet fallen into arrears to such an extent as to incur this penalty, and therefore neither the question of exemption from, nor enforcement of payment has arisen. Under Rule 161 of the Rules of Procedure, it is the duty of the Committee on Contributions to advise the Assembly on the application of Article 19 of the Charter.