HC Deb 15 April 1959 vol 603 c1004
18. Mr. Osborne

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how much Mr. Paul Hoffman recently officially requested from him for the United Nations Special Fund; how much he was promised; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

I regret that I did not myself see Mr. Hoffman because I was in Washington. He had a number of conversations with other Ministers. These were of an informal nature, and he made no official requests to Her Majesty's Government. I have no statement to make at present about the Special Fund.

Mr. Osborne

Will my right hon. and learned Friend use his influence with the Treasury to try to get it to give a little more to this fund, because it is to be used for accelerating the economic development of the less-developed countries, and this is of vital importance to the peace of the world? Since Mr. Paul Hoffman has said that the amount for which the fund is already asking is mere peanuts, will my right hon. and learned Friend do what he can to see that the Treasury look at this question with a favourable eye?

Mr. Lloyd

We have already offered. I believe, the equivalent of 1 million dollars, but the governing council of this Special Fund has not yet approved any projects. We must see how it works out in practice.