HC Deb 08 December 1977 vol 940 cc848-9W
Mr. Hooley

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will list in the Official Report all those United Nations agencies concerned with aid to the Third world, stating the resources available to each agency in 1977 and the United Kingdom contribution in each case.

Mrs. Hart,

pursuant to her reply [Official Report, 7th December 1977; Vol. 940, c. 713], gave the following information

Most United Nations institutions are involved, directly or indirectly, with assistance to developing countries. No simple measure of available resources exists which can be applied on a comparable basis across the whole range of institutions. The table gives figures for payments made to these bodies in 1976, the latest year for which comprehensive data are available. The table includes subscriptions to the regular budgets of United Nations Specialised Agencies; the proportion used for direct programmes of assistance to developing countries varies considerably from agency to agency.

Total Sterling equivalent United Kingdom contribution
US$'000 £000 £'000
United Nations Development Programme Trust Funds 27,345 15,138
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 44,390 24,574 650
United Nations Institute for Training and Research 1,621 898
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East 85,511 47,338 3,744
World Food Programme 66,767 36,962 1,625
International Labour Organisation 14,286 7,908
Food and Agriculture Organisation 55,012 30,454 (35)
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation 11,200 6,200 (29)
World Health Organisation 28,728 15,904 886
Universal Postal Union 202 112
International Telecommunication Union 4 2
World Meteorological Organisation 343 190 (20)
World Intellectual Property Organisation 1,365 756 (78)
International Atomic Energy Agency 4,999 2,767 (167)
(iii) World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development See footnote 3 8,388
International Development Association 59,453
Notes:
1. Sterling equivalents in column 2 are calculated at the rate £1=$1.8064. This rate has also been used to estimate the figures for United Kingdom assessed contributions to regular budgets and a number of voluntary contributions (indicated by brackets).
2. The United Nations and individual agencies have a great number of voluntary funds; a detailed breakdown has not been included for reasons of space.
3. IBRD operations are financed by borrowings in international capital markets. Gross borrowings in IBRD's Fiscal Year 1976–77 amounted to US$ 4,721 million. IDA receipts from subscriptions and supplementary resources for the same period were US$ 1,306 million.