HC Deb 07 December 1954 vol 535 cc33-4W
Mr. Usborne

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many United Kingdom personnel are employed in the various international agencies in Europe in which the Government participates, such as the Council of Europe, the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation, the British delegation to the Coal and Steel Pool, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation; their cost to the taxpayer; and the cost of the various United Kingdom grants to these bodies.

Mr. Turton

The staffing of such international agencies as the Council of Europe, the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is the responsibility of their Secretaries-General, and Her Majesty's Government do not have precise information showing how many of the members of these staffs are United Kingdom nationals. The cost of staff and the general expenses are shared by member Governments according to Formulæ agreed between them. For the current year the contributions of Her Majesty's Government to the principal organisations are as follows:

Council of Europe £165,306
O.E.E.C. £289,800
N.A.T.O. £1,070,382
Brussels Treaty Organisation £9,426

The cost of the United Kingdom Delegation to the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community is approximately £50,000 per annum, and the staff number 14.