HC Deb 05 December 1951 vol 494 c2362
10. Mr. T. Reid

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will propose to the United Nations organisation that they should establish a system by which all prosperous States should contribute to a United Nations organisation fund for the development of backward areas.

Mr. Eden

I fear that it is not possible at this time to undertake any new obligations in support of such a proposal.

Mr. Reid

Is the Minister aware that from the end of the First World War up to 1945 this country had given the sum of £161 million to our Dependencies and that from then—omitting the war period, when we gave a lot away too—we gave up to £254 million to our Dependencies? Does he think that this little country can go on distributing such vast sums of money and is not it absolutely essential to pass the burden to some extent to United Nations?

Mr. Eden

I did not quite understand that to be the purpose of the hon. Gentleman's Question. We will certainly share any burden we are at present carrying but I thought the hon. Gentleman was asking me to shoulder yet another one and I did not think I could.