HL Deb 21 February 1957 vol 201 cc1161-2

2.35 p.m.

LORD DERWENT

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—

  1. (1) what benefits the United Kingdom and British Colonies receive from the United Kingdom membership of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations;
  2. (2) whether such benefits are worth the £444,824 which its membership cost the United Kingdom in the two-year period 1955–56; and
  3. (3) whether such sums would not be more profitably invested by the United Kingdom in direct aid to the agriculture of British Colonies.]

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, the United Kingdom and British dependent territories benefit from membership of the Food and Agriculture Organisation both directly and indirectly. They benefit directly by the mutual exchange of information and experience with other member nations; through participation in conferences and in other ways; and by being able to call on the advice of F.A.O. experts on particular problems. They benefit indirectly through the improvement in agricultural efficiency and living standards in the world generally. It is impossible to put a precise monetary value on these benefits. So far as direct assistance to agriculture in the dependent territories is concerned, Her Majesty's Government already provide substantial assistance from Colonial Development and Welfare Funds and through the Advisory Services of the Colonial Office.

In the view of Her Majesty's Government, the United Kingdom contribution is fully justified, not only on the broad grounds of international co-operation, but also because it reinforces and complements the help given directly to dependent territories. Our attitude to F.A.O. can be summed up as expressing support for the Organisation's direct activities in the field, while urging restraint in long-term theoretical studies, particularly in economic matters, and urging also economy in administration. In the view of Her Majesty's Government the main emphasis in F.A.O. activities should be one of concentration on work of the greatest practical value, efficiency and economy

LORD DERWENT

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his full and comprehensive Answer. May I ask him whether Her Majesty's Government will continue to see that as little as possible is spent on administration, as I understand is, in fact, the Government's policy?

LORD CHESHAM

That is perfectly correct. We feel confident that the Organisation itself also is very desirous of running in such a way.

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