§ Mr. Juddasked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he has examined the possibility of recruiting suitable medium-skilled personnel to serve as assistants to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation field experts under the United Nations Associate Expert Scheme; and whether he will propose to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation that it should utilise volunteers through the British Volunteer Programme in suitable projects.
§ Mr. OramMy right hon. Friend and his predecessors have seriously examined the possibility of participation by Britain in the Unted Nations Associate Expert Scheme on several occasons.
The cost involved has, however, to be borne by the Government of the country from which the associate expert comes, and is considerably higher than the comparable cost under bilateral technical assistance. For this reason, and because I believe that it is an important principle that countries receiving technical assistance should make some local contribution towards its cost, I do not consider that participation in the scheme would represent a wise use of British aid funds.
The British Volunteer Programme would be willing to recruit volunteers requested by U.N.E.S.C.O. provided the conditions under which the volunteers are usually supplied by the British Volunteer Programme would be acceptable. The volunteers who could be supplied would be qualified but are usually inexperienced.