§ Mr. Shinwellasked the Lord Privy Seal what is the function of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Parliamentarians Conference; how the delegates are elected; and what is the annual cost to the United Kingdom of the delegation and secretariat.
§ Mr. HeathThe North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Parliamentarians' Conference provides a valuable link between the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the parliamentarians of member countries. There is no uniform procedure for the selection of national delegations. In this country delegates have been selected on the nomination of the leaders of the political parties, in proportion to their parliamentary strength. Her Majesty's Government make an annual grant-in-aid to the conference, and also pay the travelling and subsistence expenses of the United Kingdom delegates. In the last financial year the grant-in-aid amounted to approximately £7,800 and the expenses to £2,800.