§ Mr. Kirkasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement about the financing of the Secretariat of the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation, and the proportion of expenses payable by Her Majesty's Government.
§ Lord John HopeOne of the measures designed to strengthen the organisation which was approved by the Council at the meeting held at Karachi on 6th March, 1956, and announced in the communiqué was the establishment of a fulltime executive secretariat to be financed from a common budget. It was agreed that the cost of the common budget for the year ending 31st March, 1957, should be shared by the member countries in equal proportions.
Her Majesty's Government are therefore prepared, subject to Parliamentary approval, to contribute one-eighth of these common expenses. Until a formal budget is available, the payments made by the United Kingdom will be regarded as advances on account of its share as finally determined by the Council. An initial advance of the equivalent of $12,000 having been requested from member countries to meet current expenditure, provision for this together with the balance payable will be included in the Supplementary Estimates to be laid before Parliament in July.