HL Deb 15 December 1953 vol 185 cc66-7

2.30 p.m.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I beg to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will say what was the amount of the United Nations aid to South Korea and the proportion of that amount contributed by the United * See col. 125. Kingdom; and to which countries in Europe business has been given by South Korea as a result of that aid, and whether the United Kingdom is included in those countries.]

THE MARQUESS OF READING

My Lords, United Nations Korean Reconstruction Agency aid to South Korea totalled 70 million dollars for 1952–53. The Agency is expected to spend about 85 million dollars in 1953–54. The United Kingdom contributed £2.8 million towards the 1952–53 programme, or 11.2 per cent. Towards the 1953–54 programme the United Kingdom have to date contributed £1.5 million. Business as a result of this aid has not been given by South Korea to any country. Procurement for U.N.K.R.A. is undertaken by the Agency itself and not by the Government of the Republic of Korea. In Europe, business has been given by the Agency to Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

May I take it, then, that the United Kingdom has no actual say in the orders given solely by the Agency?

THE MARQUESS OF READING

The money is spent by the Agency, but it may be of interest to the noble Viscount if I tell him that in fact the procurement in the United Kingdom has, to some extent, exceeded the amount of our contribution.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

I thank the noble Marquess for his satisfactory answer.

LORD HENDERSON

Arising out of the noble Marquess's reply, may I ask how the total value of orders placed in the United Kingdom compares with the total United Kingdom contribution to U.N.K.R.A.?

THE MARQUESS OF READING

That was the point I was trying to make just now. There is a slight excess in the amount of orders placed in this country over the amount of this country's contribution. The contribution is paid, I believe, in inconvertible sterling, and the difference is being made up by the sale by U.N.K.R.A. of dollars to raise the necessary sterling.