HC Deb 18 May 1965 vol 712 cc1184-5
5. Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will take steps to initiate Commonwealth discussions on the world population problem.

Mr. Cledwyn Hughes

No, Sir. The population problem is already being studied by a number of organisations to which Commonwealth Governments belong. The General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Regional Economic Commissions of the United Nations have reviewed or are reviewing it. There is to be a world population conference in Belgrade later this year. Population problems will also be discussed at the Colombo Plan Consultative Committee in November, 1965.

Mr. Hamilton

I am obliged to my hon. Friend for that Answer. Does he not agree that unless this problem is tackled the quite considerable aid we are now giving to the Commonwealth will be largely jeopardised by the continued increase in population? Will he give an assurance that the Government will take hold initiatives and make bold suggestions undeterred by the pressures, fears and prejudices of quite vocal minorities?

Mr. Hughes

I can assure my hon. Friend that we are fully aware of this problem and are doing everything possible to promote the point he has made.

Sir C. Osborne

In view of the United Nations estimate that world population at the end of this century will be between 6,000 million and 7,000 million and that the world food production programme will have to increase five-fold to give a reasonable standard of living to that huge number., what instructions are the Government to give to our representative at the Belgrade Conference on these two vital points?

Mr. Hughes

These are matters for my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary.

Mr. Fisher

Would the hon. Gentleman give the most encouragement he possibly can at this forthcoming conference to the question of encouraging family planning in the Commonwealth, because what the hon. Member for Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton) said is perfectly true, if we take one economic step forward with the aid of British assistance and then one backwards because of rising population, that offsets the benefit of increased living standards?

Mr. Hughes

We fully appreciate the importance of this matter. The point is that it is doubtful whether purely Commonwealth discussions would help in what is going on; it involves all Governments.