HC Deb 07 May 1963 vol 677 cc230-1
Ql. Mr. A. Henderson

asked the Prime Minister whether he will take steps to establish a Department of Aid to be responsible for the co-ordination of all forms of economic aid, including investment and technical assistance, to under-developed countries.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)

No, Sir. Responsibility for technical assistance was unified with the establishment of the Department of Technical Co-operation in 1961, and there is adequate machinery for the co-ordination of policy on all other aspects of our overseas aid.

Mr. Henderson

Is the Prime Minister aware that in the first Progress Report of the Department of Technical Cooperation, published in April of last year, the view was expressed that there should be co-ordination of technical and financial assistance? Will he study the United States system, where a Department of Aid has been established with full powers of co-ordination over every form of assistance to under-developed countries?

The Prime Minister

I think that the situation is a little different here. The United States has one Department—the State Department—dealing with all external affairs. We have the Foreign Office, the Commonwealth Relations Office and the Colonial Office.

Sir C. Osborne

Will these matters be raised next year at the United Nations Economic Conference? If they are, will Her Majesty's Government give full support?

The Prime Minister

I should like to inquire into that.