HL Deb 19 March 1962 vol 238 cc451-4WA
LORD CASEY

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will make a statement, in view of the importance of providing aid to the newer independent mem- bers of the Commonwealth, on the present state and progress of the two projects connected with the proposed provision of personnel to undertake executive and operational tasks in the developing countries, namely:

  1. (1) The United Nations OPEX (Operational and Executive Personnel) Scheme.
  2. (2) The somewhat similar project that was adumbrated at the Prime Ministers' Conference in 1960, which was remitted to the Commonwealth Economic Consultative Council in September, 1960;
and further, if either of these projects have relevance to the announcement made by Her Majesty's Government on July 28, 1960, on this subject.

LORD HASTINGS

Full information about the United Nations OPEX Scheme will be found in the Report of the Secretary-General on programmes of technical assistance financed by the regular budget (E/TAC/112). The scheme was launched in January, 1959, with an annual budget of 200,000 dollars. This was increased to 300,000 dollars for 1960, and to 850,000 for 1961 and again for 1962. Up to September last 80 posts had been established, of which seven were in the newer independent Commonwealth countries; three officers had completed their assignments and 27 were in post. Recruitment was proceeding for the remainder.

As regards the second part of the Question, following instructions of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers the Commonwealth Economic Consultative Council at their meeting in September, 1960, considered the question of exchanges between Commonwealth countries of persons with specialised skills and experience. The Council decided that the best way to foster such exchanges would be for Commonwealth Governments to improve bilateral arrangements between them by all means in their power and that appropriate arrangements should be devised, where they did not already exist, for the filling of executive as well as advisory posts of a technical and specialised nature in Commonwealth countries which had recently achieved independence.

Shortly after this decision had been announced, Britain extended her offer of technical assistance to those Common wealth countries which had recently become independent to include the filling of senior and important posts on the permanent establishment of the Governments of those countries, for a limited period, pending the training of a local successor. This offer was made to Ghana, Malaya, Nigeria and Sierre Leone and so far about 20 appointments have been made in response to requests from the Governments concerned. These cover a wide variety of fields, including finance, engineering and telecommunications.

The announcement made on July 28, 1960, referred to the Overseas Service Aid Scheme, and neither of the schemes mentioned above is directly relevant to it. All three, however, are designed to help the less developed countries to man their public services.

House adjourned at one minute past six o'clock.