§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current and planned financial commitment of the United Kingdom to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and its activities.
§ Mr. Terlezkiasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the annual cost to the United Kingdom of membership of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation; and what benefits the United Kingdom derives from its membership.
§ Mr. RaisonAs a member of UNESCO, the United Kingdom pays a fixed proportion of the approved budget based on a formula adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. The amount for the two calendar years 1984 and 1985 is 4.61 per cent. of the total budget of $374,410,000 less certain miscellaneous receipts.
Our expenditure for the financial year 1983–84 is £4,257,096 and the latest estimate for 1984–85 is £3.2 million. The 1983–84 figure represents 75 per cent. of a full year's payment because of the phasing of payments in 1983. The 1984–85 figure is net and takes account of a refund of £2.1 million due from UNESCO arising from surpluses in previous budgetary periods.
We see UNESCO as being primarily concerned with the problems of the developing countries, and we have urged the organisation to make its programmes more directly relevant to their needs. Ther are however some benefits in the participation of British specialists in its work, and it provides a means whereby ideas of British participants reach a wider scientific and intellectual community.