HC Deb 08 July 1953 vol 517 cc91-2W
62. Sir R. Acland

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will publish a table showing what payments this country has made to the United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestine, the United Nations Relief of Palestine Refugees, the International Refugee Organisation and the United Nations Commission for Refugees, showing in which years the payments were made; and what further payments are either promised or intended in future years to these or to other similar organisations.

Mr. Nutting

Below is a table showing payments made by Her Majesty's Government to the organisations listed by the hon. Member.

The United Nations Relief for Palestine Refugees and the International Refugee Organisation have ceased to exist and the question of further payments does not, therefore, arise. Her Majesty's Government's contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for the year July, 1953, to June, 1954, is now under consideration.

The administrative expenses of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees form part of the general United Nations budget and are borne by the United Kingdom on the basis of our normal percentage assessment of the budget as a whole. No further United Kingdom contribution has been promised to the United Nations Refugee Emergency Fund; and any such contribution would require consideration in the light of future circumstances.

UNITED KINGDOM CONTRIBUTIONS TO POST-WAR REFUGEE ORGANISATIONS
Year European refugees Arab refugees
£ £
International Refugee Organisation United Nations Relief for Palestine Refugees
1947–48 5,618,557
1948–19 5,665,625 1,000,000
1949–50 5,637,057 100,000
United Nations Relief and Works Agency
1950–51 3,927,846 2,000,000
1951–52 866,248 2,500,000
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees†
1952–53 100,000 4,000,000
1953–54 4,000,000*
Total £21,815,333 £13,600,000
* Included in the Estimates but not yet paid to U.N.R.W.A.
†
— Year Total budget U.K. percentage assessment
U.S. $
Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 1951 218,353 11.37
1952 639,100 10.56
1953 650,000 10.30