§ Lord BROCKWAYMy 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 what were the conclusions of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlement and what proposals were made by the British representative.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE, DEPARTMENT of the ENVIRONMENT (Baroness Birk)My Lords, the Conference was the first of its kind to deal specifically and comprehensively with the problems of human settlements, and was attended by representatives of more than 130 nations. Progress was made on a declaration of principles which was developed in 63 detailed recommendations for action by individual nations. These recommendations should be of particular value to developing countries, and help to ensure that the aid we give is used in the most effective way. All countries represented accepted the need for settlement policies which contribute positively to national economic and social development. In his statement to the Conference my right honourable friend the Secretary of State emphasised that the United Kingdom was the first country to experience industrial urbanisation. He set out the lessons we have learned from 30 years of developing a comprehensive planning system. Copies of this statement have been placed in the Printed Paper Office. Our main contribution was formulating recommendations endorsed by the Conference.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, I thank my noble friend the Minister for that statement, and appreciate that it is quite impossible to indicate to the House the concrete decisions reached. Will she use her influence to enable us to have a debate on these big issues ? Avoiding the controversial aspects, may I ask her to consider a broader matter in view of the diffused, confused and interminable discussions at this conference, repeating what has been said at five other international conferences under different United Nations Agencies; namely, is there not a necessity now to co-ordinate the United Nations organisations under a unified authority
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, with the greatest respect to my noble friend Lord Brockway, all the other conferences were on different subjects. The common blanket was the human predicament, but they were all on different areas of that predicament I very much endorse the first point made by my noble friend, and think that this is a subject worthy of debate rather than a short Question and Answer session.
§ Baroness LEE of ASHERIDGEMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend the Minister how she can ask us to have confidence in those broad generalisations when we have failed so disgracefully on our own doorstep, on such a small but important issue for some people ? The inhabitants of Diego Garcia were thrown off their island, which was a British possession, and money was, indeed, given by the British Government; but is my noble friend aware that these poor creatures, now in Mauritius, are still not being properly looked after?
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, this is something which is really a matter for a much wider conference. It is true that there are a great many injustices. I am not prepared to condone anything done which should not have been done, nor am I prepared to say that a conference of this sort could solve all the problems in the world. All I am trying to say, in as brief an answer as I can give, is that a great many critical subjects were discussed, and certain recommendations were made, and I repeat that it is practically impossible to discuss these things in the way they should be discussed, 427 covering all the peripheral matters that come into it, in a Question and Answer session.
Lord JANNERMy Lords, first of all, may I congratulate the Government on having taken a stand at this particular conference against the proposals which were made there, as they are being made at various other Agency conferences of the United Nations, to introduce attacks and to " politicise " the situation in those very places where politics should not be introduced? Because human matters should be dealt with without the bitterness and the antagonisms of the Arab spokesmen and others who are trying to crush these conferences by the kind of resolutions they put before them, and which were so correctly opposed by our Government and some other Governments on this occasion.
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, as my noble friend Lord Janner is aware, the United Kingdom voted against the final comprehensive declaration because of the insertion of the Zionist racist part of the resolution, which referred back to the resolution of the General Assembly.
Lord JANNERMy Lords, may I ask whether my noble friend the Minister is aware that I myself congratulated the Government on this ? Is she aware that the utilisation of these conferences by those who wish to attack other members of the United Nations is an obnoxious way of dealing with the necessities of the situation? We should continue to emphasise the fact that political resolutions should not be introduced under such circumstances.
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, we do recognise that, and deplore it. We do all we can to try to stop it, but it is very difficult when people at a conference like this speak freely, as they have the right so to do, and introduce this sort of resolution. The most we can do is to show that we deplore it by voting against it.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, is my noble friend the Minister aware that at this conference the Committee of 77 representing the developing nations recommended there should be no reference in this resolution to Zionism? Further, is my noble friend aware that many of us want to pay tribute to Barbara Ward, now Lady Jackson, for her proposals for this conference? May I say how warmly we shall welcome her membership of this House ?