HC Deb 23 June 1986 vol 100 cc37-8W
Mr. Craigen

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to encourage member states of the European Community to contribute financially to the work of the United Nations fund for drug abuse control.

Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he plans to take to encourage member states of the European Community to contribute financially to the work of the United Nations fund for drug abuse control.

Sir Bernard Braine

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to encourage member states of the European Community to contribute financially to the work of the United Nations fund for drug abuse control.

Mr. Mellor

The Government maintain close contact with our European Community partners on all aspects of drug abuse and trafficking through the Council of Europe Pompidou Group. We use this and all other appropriate political and official channels to stress the importance of support of the fund and we seek by publicising our own contributions to encourage others to follow suit. Eight EC countries, including the United Kingdom, have pledged donations to the fund for 1986.

Mr. Craigen

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to increase the United Kingdom contribution to the United Nations fund for drug abuse control.

Mr. Mellor

Yes. We are increasing our regular annual contribution to the fund this year from £100,000 to £163,000. In addition, we are making special purpose contributions to the fund of £3.4 million for its work in Pakistan and £1 million in Latin America.

Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is Her Majesty's Government's current contribution to the United Nations fund for drug abuse control; if he has any plans to increase it; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Mellor

The Government make an annual contribution to the United Nations fund for drug abuse control for use as the fund thinks fit. This was increased from £50,000 to £100,000 in 1983 and this financial year is being increased to £163,000. The level of that contribution will be kept under review. In addition, the Government are making special purpose contributions totalling £3.4 million to the fund's crop substitution/rural development scheme in the Dir district of the north-west frontier province of Pakistan and £1 million to the fund's drugs law enforcement support activities in Latin America. The United Kingdom is among the major donors to the fund, with whom we work very closely. The executive director of the fund visited London last month for talks with Ministers, and I met him for further talks as recently as last week.