HL Deb 16 February 1960 vol 221 cc1-3

2.37 p.m.

LORD BARNBY

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

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government in regard to policies of Commonwealth expansion what (for the past three years)—

  1. (a) expenditure for nuclear development has to date been—
    1. (i) sanctioned but still unexpended,
    2. (ii) expended;
  2. (b) expenditure to support Commonwealth migration has been—
    1. (i) authorised by Parliament,
    2. (ii) expended.]

THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS (THE EARL OF HOME)

My Lords, this Question conveniently falls into two parts. As to the first part, expenditure in the United Kingdom by the Atomic Energy Authority is sanctioned on an annual basis. The figure included in the Civil Estimates for the financial year 1959–60 is £93 million.

Other Commonwealth countries are, of of course, responsible for their own expenditure on nuclear development; but there is close and continuous co-operation with them, and the United Kingdom assists their programmes in many ways—for example, by the exchange of information, the sale of materials and equipment and the provision of places in United Kingdom establishments for training. The mutual benefit is considerable, but it is not possible to assess it precisely in figures.

In answer to the second part of the noble Lord's Question, the total sum authorised by Parliament for the purpose of supporting and assisting emigration from this country to other parts of the Commonwealth amounts to £578,900 for the past three complete financial years. Of this sum, the Government have spent £572,042. The details for each year are as follows: in 1956–57. £189,575 was expended out of an authorised sum of £198,200; in 1957–58, £190,127 out of £192,675; and in 1958–59, £182,340 out of £188,025 voted.

The Commonwealth and Empire Settlement Acts, 1922–1957 set an upper limit of £1½ million per annum on expenditure for the purpose of assisting emigration of our people who wish to settle in other countries of the Commonwealth. But the amount to be spent each year has to be voted each year by Parliament: the amounts actually voted are those I have already quoted.

LORD BARNBY

My Lords, in thanking the noble Earl for his reply, may I hope that he will give consideration to the expenditure of a larger proportion of the £1½ million that he has just stated is annually provided for the purposes of assisting emigration to the Commonwealth?

THE EARL OF HOME

My Lords, I think the most important thing is that we should get value for money. If anybody could suggest a scheme that would do that and improve on the existing situation, we certainly would be willing to consider it.

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