HC Deb 26 January 1970 vol 794 cc246-7W
Dame Joan Vickers

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give instructions to the United Kingdom representative on the Committee of Ministers to vote in favour of the request made by the Assembly, Opinion No. 52, that there should be a sum of money allocated for new buildings for the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

Mr. Luard

Her Majesty's Government agree with the other members of the Council of Europe that the present accommodation of the council is not satisfactory. At the meeting of the Committee of Ministers at Parish on 12th December, the French Government announced the terms of a loan which they were prepared to give to the Council of Europe for its building programme. The Ministers' Deputies are discussing at their current meeting how a building scheme might be carried out and financed.