10. Commander Kinģ-Hallasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has yet received any information concerning the scales of salary paid in U.N.R.R.A.
§ Mr. EdenThe full report on the establishment of U.N.R.R.A. is, I understand, about to be issued by the administration. If the hon. and gallant Member cares to address an inquiry to the European Regional Office of U.N.R.R.A. about specific points concerning salary scales, I feel sure that he will find them most ready to help him.
17. Commander Kinģ-Hallasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that owing to the fact that U.N.R.R.A. can only operate in an ex-occupied area at the invitation of the Government concerned and that U.N.R.R.A. lacks the priorities and material resources needed for the adequate discharge of its functions, this organisa- 210 tion is failing in its task; and will he take steps, in conjunction with the Government of the U.S.A., to rectify this state of affairs.
§ Mr. EdenI cannot agree that it is a weakness in U.N.R.R.A. that an invitation from the Government of a liberated country is required before it can operate in that country. Nor can I agree that U.N.R.R.A. is failing in its responsibilities, which are only now beginning, towards those countries which have invited its assistance. As regards the concern of His Majesty's Government and the Government of the United States that adequate supplies should be available to the liberated countries, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the statement which was made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State on 14th February.
Commander Kinģ-HallIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are thousands of under-nourished people in Western Europe; that they believed that U.N.R.R.A. was created as an international organisation to go to their relief, and that they do not understand why it does not?
§ Mr. EdenMy hon. and gallant Friend knows that it is not so simple as that. In the first period, the problem is a military one for the Supreme Command, and, unfortunately, even the creation of an organisation cannot, by itself, solve our shipping and other problems. I wish it could.
§ Mr. De ChairCould the right hon. Gentleman say if the British Government have applied to U.N.R.R.A. on behalf of Burma, or whether Burma has applied to U.N.R.R.A.?