§ Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Minister of Overseas Development what are the present membership, function and cost to public funds of the United Kingdom National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
§ Mr. OramThe National Commission consists of 25 members, and meets under the chairmanship of my right hon. Friend. The full list of individual members may be found in the Answer given by my right hon. Friend's predecessor on the 2nd August to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mr. Rowland).
60WThe main function of the Commission is to advise the Government on all aspects of U.N.E.S.C.O.'s work, including the biennial programmes of activity. In addition the Commission seeks to inform the British public and non-governmental organisations about the aims and activities of U.N.E.S.C.O. and to associate nongovernmental organisations with this task. The Commission occasionally arranges seminars and conferences on matters of relevance to the work of U.N.E.S.C.O.
The Secretariat of the National Commission is provided by the Ministry's U.N.E.S.C.O. Department, and no separate financial provision is made on this account. The cost of travel and subsistence for members attending meetings of the Commission and its subsidiary committees is approximately £1,000 per year. The cost to public funds of an occasional seminar or conference varies between £1,500 and £2,500: there have been two such meetings this year.