HC Deb 11 July 1960 vol 626 cc962-4
20. Mr. F. Noel-Baker

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that there is now a danger that the scheme may fail through lack of governmental support, Her Majesty's Government will reconsider their decision not to make a contribution to the Malaria Eradication Special Account of the World Health Organisation.

35. Mr. Wade

asked the Minister of Health whether Her Majesty's Government will reconsider its decision not to make a contribution to the Malaria Eradication Special Account of the World Health Organisation, in order to encourage other governments to contribute and ensure that the scheme will not fail through lack of governmental support.

The Minister of Health (Mr. Derek Walker-Smith)

Her Majesty's Government see grave objection in principle to contributing to this Special Account. They are, however, at present studying the matter in the light of a resolution of the recent World Health Assembly to reappraise the Special Account at next year's Assembly and, if necessary, to consider appropriate measures to ensure the financing of the scheme.

Mr. Noel-Baker

It is very difficult to see through the verbiage used by the Minister to detect what he means. If he is opening a chink in the door and he means that there is some hope that the Government will contribute to this fund, will he take into consideration the very strong feeling in the country and look at the example set by the United States? They find no objection to this. Is there no way in which we can help to persuade the right hon. and learned Gentleman to make a contribution to this very valuable work?

Mr. Walker Smith

In spite of the hon. Gentleman's rather unflattering reference to it, my Answer meant precisely what it said, that we are at present studying the matter in the context of the resolution passed by the Assembly, but we take the view that in principle this is not the right way to finance this sort of programme.

Dr. Summerskill

Like my hon. Friend, I find it rather difficult to understand the right hon. and learned Gentleman's legalistic approach. Hitherto, he has not been prepared to give one penny towards the malaria eradication fund. Are we to take it that he has now changed his mind?

Mr. Walker-Smith

That is a very considerable over-simplification, as the right hon. Lady knows. She knows quite well, and, indeed, has been told more than once, that Her Majesty's Government contribute substantially to the regular budget of the World Health Organisation and to the funds of other international bodies which devote considerable sums to anti-malarial activities. We are here concerned with whether this special fund basis is the right one or whether it would not be better, as we think, that it should form part of a co-ordinated programme within the regular budget drawn up in accordance with pre-determined priorities.