HC Deb 30 May 1968 vol 765 cc2116-7
20. Dame Joan Vickers

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what action has so far been taken by Her Majesty's Government to implement the various plans put forward at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development meeting in New Delhi.

Mr. Prentice

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade made a statement to the House on 8th April covering the outcome of the Conference as a whole, including the agreements on the aid target and supplementary finance, which are the responsibility of my Department. I am replying to a separate Question on the aid target. We intend to co-operate actively in the further work on the scheme for supplementary finance.—[Vol. 762, c. 887–92.]

Dame Joan Vickers

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider further cooperation with O.E.C.D. and the Council of Europe, because all these countries are making their separate plans and it would be far more valuable if we coordinated them and saved overlapping in the various forms of aid we are making?

Mr. Prentice

Yes, we are doing that. A number of resolutions passed at the U.N.C.T.A.D. are now being considered by Her Majesty's Government and other Governments in the framework of the O.E.C.D.

Mr. Higgins

What is the Government's attitude to the commodity agreement proposals? Does the right hon. Gentleman regard the proposals for compensatory finance as an alternative for these proposals?

Mr. Prentice

Not as an alternative to the supplementary financial measures, but there will be a meeting of the intergovernmental group in October. On the commodity proposals, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has answered Questions. Certainly Britain is; playing an active part in the discussions arising from the resolution on that point.