HC Deb 15 June 1964 vol 696 cc910-1
10. Mr. P. Noel-Baker

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what contribution Her Majesty's Government have made in 1964 to the Inter-governmental Committee for European Migration to help the Committee to carry out its programme for the movement of refugees from European countries for resettlement overseas.

Mr. Mathew

Her Majesty's Government have paid their subscription for 1964 to the Inter-governmental Committee for European Migration. This amounted to £68,607.

Mr. Noel-Baker

I understand that £68,000 represents 9 per cent. of the administrative budget of the I.C.E.M., but the Committee also has an operational budget to which last year we contributed £20,000 for the movement of refugees. The programme this year is 33,000 to be moved out of Europe, and if we make no contribution this year the work will be gravely imperilled.

Mr. Mathew

We do not normally contribute to the operational budget, but, as the right hon. Gentleman said, we made a contribution of £20,000 in the exceptional circumstances of 1963. The suggestion he made will certainly be considered.