§ Mr. C. Johnsonasked the Lord Privy Seal what action Her Majesty's Government propose to take to comply with the request made to them by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe in regard to the implementation of projects concerning vocational training for national refugees and overpopulation.
§ Mr. P. ThomasI assume the hon. Gentleman is referring to Resolution 235 of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe. Her Majesty's Government believe the problem of vocational training for national refugees in Europe can best be handled by those international organisations, like the International Labour Organisation, which have dealt with the problem in the past.
§ Mr. C. Johnsonasked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in view of the large number of refugees who cannot become 92W permanently settled without international assistance, as disclosed by the 10th Progress Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Her Majesty's Government will increase their financial contribution for this work.
§ Mr. P. ThomasIn the past Her Majesty's Government have made successive and substantial contributions to the work of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. They are aware of the difficulties confronting him in Europe and that his Tenth Progress Report contains proposals for a major aid programme to end the residual refugee problem there in 1963.
Her Majesty's Government fully sympathise with this aim and are, of course, anxious that the High Commissioner should bring his operations to a successful conclusion. They will have these considerations very much in mind when examining the question of future assistance to the High Commissioner in his task.