§ 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 conclusions were reached at the United Nations conference on world water supplies and needs.
§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, the United Nations Water Conference held in Argentina from 14th to 25th March produced about 100 action proposals for improving the quantity and quality of the world's water supply which will be inadequate to sustain future growth in many places unless water management is radically improved. It was urged that these proposals should be implemented by member States. For the developing countries, it was agreed that the Secretary-General should review the funding of water projects so that increased resources could be devoted to them.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that reply, may I ask whether there will be any report of these very important decisions by that conference? Furthermore, while there is concern about energy resources, is not the problem of water supplies far more important for millions in the world? Was it not reported to this conference that one-third of the population of the world is without secure drinking water, and can we have an assurance from the Government that they will give the utmost support to United Nations scheme plans for dealing with this matter in its second development decade?
§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, so far as the first question, that of whether the report will be published, is concerned, I am afraid I cannot give my noble friend an answer but I will make inquiries and write to him if it is to be published. I can say that the conference did not take the view that the developing countries were risking running out of water, but was rather aimed at ensuring that the best use was made of the water resources available. I think it is fair to say that the United Kingdom delegation played a major part in this conference. They stressed the need for training at appropriate technical levels. The conference as a whole did not accept that there was any need for a separate United Nations organisation, but organisation does exist at the moment to do all that they wanted to do. So far as finance is concerned, in 1974 we spent in this field over £6 million. The figure rose to more than £10 million in 1975 and, within the present constraints, I can give my noble friend an assurance that the Government will give what support they can to funding.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, is it not a fact that 99 per cent. of the sweet water in the world is now underground? Is it not therefore desirable that there should be a big plan to bring this to the surface, not only to fertilise the deserts but in order to supply the needs to which the noble Baroness has referred?
§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, I am sure that these are all points which were taken into account at the conference. We have already helped the financing of water supply projects in Malawi, Jordan, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, many of which were for bore holes, and we are also interested in irrigation and water resources projects in Indonesia, Thailand, Ghana, Sudan and Pakistan. I am sure that we are aware of the fact that the water is underground and with our technical know-how we shall be able to help these projects to get it to the surface.
§ Lord AVEBURYMy Lords, does the noble Baroness consider that it is appropriate for the United Nations to hold international conferences in countries where there are consistent and flagrant violations of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights? Could this factor be taken into account in determining 125 the venue of any future international conferences of this kind?
§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, I think that that is rather outside the scope of the original Question.
Lord HAWKEMy Lords, will the Government supply to any nation in dire straits the name of the Sikh rainmaker who was responsible for giving us one yard of rain last September?
§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONEDenis Howell!
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, this plan will be implemented at enormous cost. Are there proposals to meet that cost; and, if so, what do Her Majesty's Government propose to contribute?