HL Deb 06 February 1957 vol 201 cc536-7
LORD JEFFREYS

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

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what cost to the public is involved on account of this country's membership of U.N.O.]

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF GOSFORD)

My Lords, the United Kingdom subscription to the budget of the United Nations in 1956 amounted to £1,261,000.

LORD JEFFREYS

My Lords, can Her Majesty's Government say whether our country is getting full value for this large sum contributed to this organisation?

VISCOUNT SAMUEL

My Lords, what is the value to this country of the main tenance of world peace?

THE EARL OF GOSFORD

My Lords, I think those are hypothetical questions which each noble Lord will have to answer in his own conscience.

VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGH

My Lords, are we not important members of this organisation?

Do we wish it to be maintained? We have always said that we do. Do we not have a responsibility to make that organisation as fruitful as possible?

THE EARL OF GOSFORD

My Lords, in answer to the noble Viscount, I can only say that I think we should wait for the debate on this subject which I believe is down on the Order Paper for some future date.

LORD JEFFREYS

My Lords, I would repeat the supplementary question that I asked the noble Earl. Are we getting full value for this large sum of money that we pay for membership of the United Nations? Surely, the Government have some views on the subject.

THE EARL OF GOSFORD

My Lords, your Lordships will realise from various happenings in the past that this organisation is far from perfect; but we must obviously all work together to see that it is made as perfect as possible for the future peace of the world.