§ 23. Mr. Wilkesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the total economic and financial contributions to world recovery made by the United Kingdom Government since the end of the late war through U.N.R.R.A. and other international organisations.
§ Mr. BevinThe United Kingdom contributed altogether£155 million to U.N.R.R.A.: it is not possible to separate contributions made before the end of the war from those made after it. I would point out, however, that this sum represents only a part of the United Kingdom's total financial contribution to world recovery, for much of this contribution was made not through international organisations, but in direct grants and loans to foreign countries and colonial territories which had suffered as a result of the war. It must be borne in mind that credits not immediately repayable impose, while they are outstanding, the same strain on the United Kingdom's balance of payments as outright grants of similar amounts would impose. The following is a statement of the United Kingdom's total contributions to world recovery in grants and credits. These amount altogether to about£750 million.
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POST-LIBERATION FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM (Figures in£ million) (a) Non-recoverable expenditure— U.N.R.R.A. contributions 155 U.K. share of non-recoverable cost of Combined Civil Affairs supplies (Military Relief 38 Malta 30 Greece (maintenance and initial equipment of Armed Forces) 29 Greece (surpluses) 2.5 Italy (estimated value of surpluses after allowing for payments from Italy in respect of this and other U.K. claims under the Financial Agreements of r7th April, 7947) 55 Austria (supplies to British zone before U.N.R.R.A. undertook supply responsibility in April, 2946) 10 Austria (estimated non-recoverable portion of£8½ million post-U.N.R,R.A. assistance to Austria) 6 Austria (surplus machine tools) 0.1 Hungary (surplus machine tools) 0.2 Total (round figures) 325
(Figures in£ million) (b) Repayable Loans and Credits— U.K. share of recoverable cost of Combined Civil Affairs supplies (Military Relief) 62 Burma (Grants to 31.3.47) 30 France (Under Financial Agreements) 100 Netherlands (Government Loan and estimated value subject to adjustment, of Military equipment and surpluses 60 Czechoslovakia (credit for commercial purposes 5 Austria (estimated recoverable portion of post-U.N.R.R.A. assistance, including raw material credit) 4 Hungary (wool credit) 0.5 Total (round figures) 275 (c) German. Approximate total cost to 31.3.47 of assistance to German economy (excluding occupation costs) 140 Total (a), (b) and (c) 740