HC Deb 15 February 1961 vol 634 cc1390-1
19 and 20. Mr. E. L. Mallalieu

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) which Governments have responded to the request from the United Nations to ear-mark contingents from their armed forces for use by the United Nations in emergencies; and

(2) what arrangements there are at United Nations headquarters for a military planning staff to consider logistic and transport problems on the basis of available contingents. earmarked for use in emergencies.

Mr. Ormsby Gore

No formal arrangements exist for a permanent military planning staff at United Nations Headquarters of the kind envisaged in the Charter. The Secretary-General recognised in his Annual Report for 1959–1960 the need for military expertise in the United Nations Secretariat and referred to the possibility of governments providing stand-by contingents. A copy of the Secretary-General's report is in the Library. We have supported the idea of stand-by contingents. The Secretary-General has not made public the replies received to his inquiry to which my right hon. and learned Friend the then Foreign Secretary referred in his reply to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond) on 18th July last, but it is known that certain important countries are opposed to the idea.

Mr. Mallalieu

Is the right hon. Gentleman able to say whether it is the opinion of the Government that national contingents are ever likely to be able to fulfil the tasks put upon them by the United Nations? Would it not be very much better to have a permanent individually recruited force for the United Nations?

Mr. Ormsby Gore

It might or might not be better. We have to deal with what is now practical. In the case of the United Nations Emergency Force, contingents from individual sovereign countries have been successful.