§ Mr. Leadbitterasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, what progress has been made in the establishment of an International Agency for Cancer Research under the resolution adopted at the last meeting of the World Health Assembly; and what funds the Agency will have at its disposal.
§ Mr. CroslandFollowing undertakings by the five sponsoring Governments to observe the conditions of participation, the Director-General of the World Health Organisation convened the first meeting of the Governing Council in Lyon on 23rd and 24th September. At this meeting two further States were admitted as participants and the membership is now Australia, France, West Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States and the U.S.S.R.
Each participating State has agreed to contribute 75,000 dollars for the year ending on 31st December, 1965 and 150,000 dollars annually thereafter for the permanent activities of the Agency. The Agency is also empowered to receive voluntary contributions for special projects from Governments, individuals and bodies, and any such projects adopted by the Governing Council on the recommendation of the Scientific Council of the Agency, additional to the permanent programme, may be financed from such contributions.
A Supplementary Estimate will be brought before the House in due course in respect of the United Kingdom contribution 154W for the present calendar year and the first instalment of that for 1966. Meanwhile it is intended to draw upon the Civil Contingencies Fund for payments due in the current financial year.