§ 3.56 p.m.
§ Mr. Joseph Reeves (Greenwich)I beg to move,
That this House, conscious of the need for radical action on a world scale to lessen the gap between the countries with 66 per cent. of the world's inhabitants who have only 15 per cent. of total world income, and the remainder who have 85 per cent. of the total world income, urges the Government to propose at the United Nations the creation of a World Development Authority to raise the standard of living in the economically underdeveloped and poverty-stricken countries by aid and investment of personnel, money and goods through a comprehensive operation combining the resources of United Nations member States with the expertise of the United Nations Specialised Agencies, financed through national contributions at the rate of 1 per cent. of the national income.798 At this late hour, it is impossible for me to make the speech which I orginally intended to make. I am sure that hon. Members will appreciate the title of the Motion and I am very pleased to say that it is a detailed Motion and is, in a way, a précis of the speech I intended to make, so that at least some information has been given to hon. Members of the kind of thoughts I had in mind.There is no doubt that there are many agencies in the world today providing aid of one kind and another to the various under-developed parts of the world. All that work is of an excellent character. Many agencies under the auspices of the United Nations make contributions to that work. Many voluntary organisations also make considerable contributions and Governments have their own schemes for contributing towards meeting this great world need.
In the Motion itself I have shown the vast contrasts between what we now call the privileged countries and the underdeveloped countries. That situation cannot continue indefinitely and the haphazard work of contributing to a solution of the problem needs a considerable measure of co-ordination. It is necessary for the nations to get together under some form of authority so that we can canalise all forms of aid in the direction in which the aid is most needed.
A world development authority with almost the status of the United Nations itself, and with responsibility for this work, would be a great advantage over present methods. It is not my purpose to criticise Governments for the work they are doing. It is excellent work. Many millions of pounds are devoted every year towards various forms of aid to the underdeveloped countries.
The need is so extremely urgent that a special type of organisation is required to deal with it and I hope that on a future occasion the House will have an opportunity of discussing further the implications of the idea of the establishment of a world development authority—