§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Lord President of the Council what action is being taken by Her Majesty's Government to implement the United Nations World Population Plan of Action (a) within the United Kingdom and (b) by grants, loans or other work outside the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. William PriceI have been asked to reply.
The United Kingdom supported the United Nations World Population Plan of Action at the Bucharest conference in August 1974, which recognised national sovereignty in the formulation of population policies and programmes. Within the United Kingdom we have greatly increased the assistance to family planning through the National Health Service. The population of this country is no longer growing, but my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal has put in hand a full stocktaking report on population matters, to be completed during 1977. Overseas we have concentrated our assistance on population programmes in developing countries through international agencies, particularly in the United Nations Fund for Population Activities. Aid to population activities overseas has risen from £1.6 million in 1973–74 to some £4.3 million in 1975–76, and we expect that this element of our overseas aid will continue to increase as more population programmes are developed.