HC Deb 05 July 1956 vol 555 cc1509-11
4. Mr. Warbey

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations the amount of United Kingdom Government expenditure under the Colombo Plan for each financial year since the inception of the plan, taking into account for the current financial year the reduction of £80,000 recently announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Commander Noble

As the Answer consists of a table of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. He will see that we still plan to spend in the current year considerably more than last year and previous years.

Mr. Warbey

I give my permission with some reluctance, because I believe that if these figures were made available to hon. Members at this moment they would reveal that the contributions made by this country to the Colombo Plan have been pathetically small, and should have been very substantially increased, taking into account the constant rise in prices which has occurred.

Commander Noble

They have been considerably increased since 1951.

Major Beamish

Is my hon. and gallant Friend aware that the excellent progress made under the Colombo Plan receives too little publicity in member countries? Will he say whether some short and well-produced popular films have been considered as a means of giving this matter increased publicity?

Commander Noble

I agree that we can be proud of our contributions to the Colombo Plan, which extend over a very wide field.

Following are the figures:

United Kingdom Government expenditure under Technical Co-operation Scheme of the Colombo Plan
Year £
1950–51 3,890
1951–52 28,633
1952–53 185,226
1953–54 371,537
1954–55 584,828
1955–56 662,803
(Provisional)
The total provision in the Commonwealth Relations Office and Foreign Office Votes for 1956–57, after the reduction recently announced, is £929,000.

5. Mr. Warbey

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what precise reductions are being made in expenditure under the Colombo Plan in order to effect a saving of £80,000 in the current financial year.

Commander Noble

The reduction will not affect projects for technical assistance which are already approved. Applications for help not yet approved will be considered in the light of the reduced provision and there may be some slight slowing up. But we expect to be able to continue to meet all well-founded applications which we receive.

Mr. Warbey

In view of the dire need of some countries in these areas, and the growing economic challenge of the Communist countries, is it not really time that the Government made a substantial increase in the British contribution, instead of making these pettifogging reductions?

Commander Noble

If the hon. Member studies the figures which I circulated in answer to a previous Question, he will see that we are increasing our contribution this year by nearly £200,000.

Major Legge-Bourke

Does not my hon. and gallant Friend agree that, in considering the contribution which Britain is making towards helping other countries, we must also take into account the amount which she is contributing by way of Commonwealth and colonial development?

Commander Noble

indicated assent.