HC Deb 25 February 1963 vol 672 cc117-8W
Mr. Warbey

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) why Her Majesty's Government contributed only £6,600 and 2.61 per cent. of the total budget to the Universal Postal Union in 1962, compared with average contributions to world agencies of about 4 per cent.;

(2) why Her Majesty's Government contributed only £57,800 and 5.5 per cent. of the total budget to the International Telecommunications Union in 1962, compared with average contributions to world agencies of about 10 per cent.;

(3) why Her Majesty's Government contributed only £14,564 and 5.91 per cent. of the total budget to the World Meteorological Organisation in 1962, compared with an average contribution to world agencies of about 10 per cent.

Mr. Heath

The contributions which member States are required to make to the budgets of the United Nations specialised agencies are calculated on bases which differ from agency to agency.

Contributions to the budget of the Universal Postal Union are designed to reflect the comparative postal importance of member Governments. They are based on a unitary scale, ranging from 25 units down to one. The United Kingdom, together with the United States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and a number of other countries, is assessed at the maximum 25 unit level. This for 1962 represented 2.61 per cent. of the agency's budget.

Contributions to the budget of the International Telecommunications Union are also assessed on a unitary scale, ranging from 30 units down to half a unit. Again the United Kingdom, in common with the United States, and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and France, is assessed at the maximum, that is the 30 unit level. This for 1962 represented 5.5 per cent. of the agency's total budget.

Contributions to the World Meteorological Organisation are assessed so as to reflect both the financial capacity of members and their share of the considerable amount of work which is done by national Meteorological Offices for the benefit of the Organisation as a whole. The contribution in cash made by the United Kingdom is the third largest, being exceeded only by those of the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, while their contribution in services is on a par with that of those two countries.

All three organisations are financed entirely by assessed contributions.