§ 12. Mr. John Hallasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has made to the United Nations about the proposed expenditure budget for 1968; and what suggestions have been made about reducing staff costs.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsWe have stated in the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly, which is now considering the 1968 estimates of the United Nations, that we shall support a reduction of $5.6 million in the estimates. This includes a cut of $2.8 million in the initial estimates for staff costs.
§ Mr. HallAs the budget for 1968 is about 12 million dollars-plus over 1967, will not the staff now run at something like 8,100, and does the Minister believe that the United Nations has been organised in the most efficient and economic way possible?
§ Mr. RobertsThese estimates are submitted by the Secretary-General and they are scrutinised by a special committee of experts, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary questions, and they are then considered by the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly and finally approved by the General Assembly itself. It is usual for the Advisory Committee to recommend certain pruning cuts. In this case it has taken place after the most careful consideration of staffing costs, and, indeed, would represent this year a specially careful and close consideration of the number of staff needed.