§ 29. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Lord Privy Seal what was the contribution pledged by this country to the United Nations Organisation to meet the cost of the Gaza Strip Operation; whether it has yet been paid; what contributions by other countries, including Russia, are outstanding; and what are their amounts.
§ Mr. HeathAs the Answer contains a number of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. Wingfield DigbyIs there not an increasing tendency for rather vocal members of the United Nations not to pay their dues? Can my right hon. Friend explain how it is that the Soviet Union, which, I believe, has not paid on this occasion, should not have done so in view of its alleged sympathy for the Arabs at the United Nations?
§ Mr. HeathI would have to examine all these figures very carefully in order to produce a graph which indicated tendencies. A large number of these contributions are not paid. I cannot explain the reason why the Soviet Union does not pay some of its dues.
§ The following is the Answer:
§ Since 1957, Her Majesty's Government have paid towards the cost of the United Nations Emergency Force their assessed contributions totalling £2,056,830. They have paid additional voluntary contributions of £732,658. Contributions owed by other countries amounted to approximately £6,250,000 on 30th September, 1960.
§ The unpaid contributions of the Soviet Union, Byelorussia and the Ukraine amount to $8.77 million. The other members of the Soviet bloc owe an additional $1.85 million. Other defaulters owe about $6.8 million.
§ Fuller information on outstanding contributions will be found in United Nations Document A/C.5/824, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.