HC Deb 23 February 1953 vol 511 cc1711-3
18. Mr. J. Hynd

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what amounts are contributed, respectively, by the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to 'the work of developing the world's backward areas through the food and agricultural, health and other organisations of the United Nations.

Mr. Nutting

Since the reply is long and involves a number of figures, I will. with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the reply: The United Nations and several Specialised Agencies undertake work to this end as part of their normal activities, financed from their regular budgets. It is impossible to identify the exact sums so spent. In addition, the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance, administered by the United Nations and the Specialised Agencies, is devoted entirely to development work: it is financed by voluntary contributions. The relative contributions to all this work made by the United States, the United Kingdom and the U.S.S.R. are shown below for 1952:
Organisation Total assessment in US $ Percentages
UN 42,940,000 36.90 10.56 11.49
FAO 5,225,000 30.0 14.37 Nil
WHO 8,600,000 33.33 11.25 Nil
UNESCO 8,561,100 33.33 11.59 Nil
ILO 6,156,369 25.0 13.15 Nil
ICAO 2,834,191 24.97 8.05 Nil

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development is a Specialised Agency whose main function is to give capital aid for development. The United States have paid up 635 million dollars on account of their subscription to the Bank's capital stock, and have agreed to the release of the whole of this amount. The United Kingdom has paid up £93 million on account of her subscription (including a portion in gold or dollars); and in addition to certain small sums previously released the United Kingdom has, as my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 3rd February, agreed to release up to £60 million for Commonwealth Development over a period of years. Apart from the above subscriptions the Bank has borrowed 510 million dollars and £5 million in the capital markets of the United States and United Kingdom respectively. The U.S.S.R. is not a member of the Bank.

As the hon Member is aware Her Majesty's Government have also undertaken large commitments in respect of development outside the sphere of the United Nations.