§ 30. Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations through the appropriate channels responsible for the organisation of aid to developing countries to secure the establishment of a central institute of research on co-operative systems on a multi-lateral basis.
§ Mr. WoodMany international governmental and non-governmental agencies are already working in the field of cooperative research and development. I think it is more important to improve the co-ordination of these activities through the channels already available than to create another new body.
§ Mr. PavittIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is perhaps most important in the area of agrarian and subsistence economies that co-operative economic and social systems of self-help are built up? In the last 10 years, as he rightly said, a multitude of research projects have been announced. Is it not vitally important that we should have one central research institute to avoid duplication, and also to assess the results of the research which has been going on?
§ Mr. WoodBecause it is an important area and because co-ordinating institutions do exist it is important to increase the efficiency of those co-ordinating institutions rather than create a new one.