§ 52. Mr. Wilkesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the British delegate at the last meeting of the Executive Board of the United 36W Nations International Children's Emergency Fund proposed that the feeding programmes for children in Bulgaria, Poland, Roumania and Czechoslovakia should cease; and which countries voted in favour of the proposal and which against.
§ Mr. MayhewI think my hon. Friend is under a misapprehension. The British delegate did not suggest that the allocation to these countries should cease, but that it should be reduced to allow a corresponding increase in the allocation to those countries where the need is now greatest—Greece, the Far East and the Arab countries. I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT full details of voting and expenditure.
Following are the details:
At the last meeting of the Executive Board of the Children's Fund, the British Delegate proposed that the feeding programmes for Bulgaria, Poland, Roumania and Czechoslovakia should be reduced by half, that the raw materials and medical programmes for these countries should also be reduced and that the Hungarian allocation should be entirely withdrawn. The voting on this proposal was as follows: In favour—Brazil, Iraq, Peru, South Africa, and United Kingdom. Against—Australia, Canada, Czechoslovakia, France, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, U.S.S.R., United States and Yugoslavia. Argentina, China, Columbia, Equador, and Greece abstained after each had spoken in favour.
Of nearly 37 million dollars spent by the Fund out of its 1948 budget over 36 million were spent in Europe. The European allocations included 21 million dollars to Eastern Europe (i.e., Poland, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Roumania, Hungary, Albania and Yugoslavia) including 7,703,500 dollars for Poland, 1,647,900 dollars for Czechoslovakia, 1,874,900 dollars for Bulgaria, 4,232,700 dollars for Roumania, 1,309,200 dollars for Hungary. Fifteen million dollars were spent on other European countries (i.e., France, Italy, Finland, Germany, Greece and Austria) and less than a million outside Europe.
Of the 58 million dollars so far allocated to specific countries by the Fund for the year 1949, 35.9 million are to be 37W spent in Europe. The European allocations include 20,777,000 dollars for Eastern Europe (as above) including 6,080,000 dollars for Poland, 3,798,000 dollars for Roumania, 1,973,000 dollars for Czechoslovakia, 1,958,000 dollars for Bulgaria and 1,164,000 dollars for Hungary. Thirteen million dollars are to be spent in other European countries (as above) and 22 millions outside Europe which figure includes the 6 millions for Palestine refugees, part of which was spent in 1948.
In addition to the above, of the 2 million dollars set aside from the 1949 budget for the operation of the anti-syphilis programme within Europe, 972,300 dollars has been allocated, with only Finland of the non-Eastern European countries as recipient to the amount of 15,500 dollars. Poland is to receive 384,200 dollars, Bulgaria 51,000 dollars, Czechoslovakia 57,500 dollars, Hungary 65,000 dollars and Yugoslavia 225,750 dollars. Also one million dollars has been set aside for the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination programme within Europe, but as yet no details are available; 500,000 is set aside for outside Europe. Over 7 million are allocated to freight, administration, training programmes and reserve, which items are not susceptible to a division by countries.