§ 2.40 p.m.
§ LORD KENNETMy 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 whether they have noted President Nixon's proposal that a voluntary United Nations fund for the environment should be established, running to 100 million dollars for the first five years, and his commitment that the United States will provide its fair share of that, and whether they will make a Statement.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER- SECRETARY OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN)My Lords, the proposal was tabled on March 7 at the fourth session of the Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, in the form of a draft resolution proposed by the United States Government for the Stockholm Conference. It was discussed in a preliminary way by the Committee and remitted for consideration at the Conference under the heading of organisational and financial implications of recommendations for action which may emerge from the Conference. Meanwhile, Her Majesty's Government are giving careful consideration to President Nixon's proposal and are discussing it with other interested Governments.
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, is not the noble Marquess playing the proposal down a bit? Was it not also sent by President Nixon in a message to Congress, and blazoned forth as American Government policy; and is there not per haps by now, two or three weeks later, a slight disparity or lacuna appearing between the American and the British attitudes to this most constructive proposal?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANI do not know about that, my Lords. It is a constructive proposal and it is one which we are considering very carefully. But, as I said, the United Nations received official notification of this proposal only about a week ago, and we are looking into it very carefully.