§ 17. Sir C. Taylorasked the Minister of Overseas Development whom he proposes to nominate, under Article 27 of the Articles of Agreement, to serve as a member of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank; who will be proposed as his alternate; whether the governors nominated by Her Majesty's Government will be instructed how to vote on the appointment of directors, to whom certain wide powers are to be delegated; and what instructions are being given to him.
§ Mr. OramMy right hon. Friend has been designated as British Governor of the Asian Development Bank. His alternate will be a senior official in the Ministry of Overseas Development. The British Governor will, of course, exercise his right to help elect the Directors of the Bank, but it is not the practice of Her Majesty's Government to reveal in advance the way their representatives are instructed to vote in elections in bodies such as this.
§ Sir C. TaylorBut has the right hon. Gentleman got the time or, if I may be so bold as to say, the experience to be a 1569 Governor of this Bank? Secondly, if he is to be a Governor of the Bank, will he see that the management is divided into small groups so that neighbouring countries can collaborate one with the other? Thirdly, as the total capital of the Bank has now been subscribed, as I understand it has, is the Bank now closed, or can other countries still make application for membership.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. We cannot have a question as long as this.
§ Mr. OramThe second two points raised by the hon. Gentleman are rather different from the Question on the Order Paper, and I would ask him to put a Question down. On the first point, I am sure the whole House has full confidence in my right hon. Friend's capacity to fill this post. Regarding his point about time, I made the point in my original Answer that there is an alternate: a senior official in my Department.