HL Deb 18 October 1971 vol 324 c472WA
LORD BARNBY

asked Her Majesty's Government:

With regard to the United Nations for the last financial year:

  1. (a) what were the total contributions of the United Kingdom under all heads;
  2. (b) what was the total debt of the United Nations;
  3. (c) how many member countries were in default on their assessed contributions; and
  4. (d) of the total revenue received what was the proportion contributed by the United States of America.

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

The following is the information requested in respect of the United Nations financial year for 1970, including the World Food Programme and the International Atomic Energy Agency, but excluding the Specialised Agencies:

  1. (a) £ 16,550,653.
  2. (b) The debt is variously assessed at between 52 million dollars as a minimum and 70 million dollars as a maximum. In our view, taking into account the existing surplus balances, the current debt amounts to about 70 million dollars. In addition, there is outstanding the unamortised portion of the bond issue amounting to around 120 million dollars.
  3. (c) As at September 21,1971, no members were more than 2 years in arrears with their contributions to the regular budget, but 13 had for various reasons declined to pay parts of their assessed contributions.
  4. (d) The assessed contribution of the United States to the United Nations regular budget was 31.57 per cent. and her contribution to the special accounts was of the order of 40 per cent. of the total.

House adjourned at seventeen minutes past five o'clock.