Population: UN Report (Hansard, 6 June 1988)

§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Glenarthur)
My Lords, this report is a valuable analysis of the relationships between population, resources, the environment and development. Her Majesty's Government will continue to deliver a substantial and effective aid programme designed to stimulate economic and social development and alleviate poverty. Our support for population-related activities will remain an important part of that work.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that reply. Does he not agree that the report gives rise to a degree of alarm when we realise that the ability to sustain human life in large areas on this earth is already gravely threatened? Does he not further agree that what is required is international collaboration and action before the whole situation gets out of hand and millions of human beings simply starve to death?

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, the noble Lord is right when he refers to the report. We are ready to do more so far as concerns population programmes but our bilateral spending is dependent on recipient governments giving population a high priority in their plans. Perhaps I should say to the noble Lord that support for population-related activities has already doubled from £6.5 million in 1981 to about £15 million in 1986.

§ Lord Renton
My Lords, I acknowledge the favourable answers which my noble friend has given, but may I ask him whether he is aware that the report makes it clear that the population of the world, which is now over 5 billion, will reach 6 billion by the end 1101 of the century and that most of the increase will be in the underdeveloped countries? Is he also aware that if the problem is to be contained Western countries must offer help, mainly to the women in the underdeveloped countries? Is that a factor which the Government are bearing in mind?

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, yes. I can tell my noble friend that specific guidelines on women in development policy have been issued to ODA departments and development divisions for implementation. We are looking to improve our performance on that issue during 1988. My noble friend has made a good point.

§ Baroness Ewart-Biggs
My Lords, does the Minister agree that this important report points up some of the particular responsibilities of the industrialised countries and the measures that they can take? Can he not be a little more specific about the financial assistance or new technology that the Government might think of providing to help bring about the aims set out in the report?

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, the answer to the noble Baroness lies in two directions. First, we have the aid programme in its wider sense and within that we have the other aid which is specifically for population-related activities. There are also aspects which take account of the environment, which I believe is a facet of the original Question of the noble Lord, Lord Molloy. So far as concerns the United Nations fund for population activities, in 1988 we gave £5.25 million, which represents a 5 per cent. increase over 1987. In fact we are the ninth largest contributor.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, the House will no doubt agree that the Government's activity in this extremely important sphere is very encouraging. Will the Minister confirm that the Government will endeavour to get other nations, some of which may be even richer than we are, to show the same interest as we do and urge them to realise that there are so many threats—such as to agriculture, energy sources, forest areas and watersheds—that human life itself is threatened? Full and total collaboration and complete co-operation among the richer nations of the world are now urgently required. This Government have given a lead. Will they now try to get other nations to join them in a more forceful action?

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, there is a continual dialogue between the Western countries about these problems. I can assure the noble Lord that we shall play our part fully.