§ Mr. George Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what items of expenditure in the 1972–73 main estimates of the Department of the Environment are classified as overseas aid.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerMajor new works projects and rent at research establishments occupied by the Overseas Development Administration in the United Kingdom. The attribution of rent to the overseas aid programme was made for the first time in the 1972–73 Estimates, and it is now realised that the figure included the rent of certain office accommodation. The total attribution to the overseas aid programme for 1972–73 should have been £121,000 and this figure256W will appear in a revised Estimate shortly to be published. Work on aid projects overseas may also be carried out by my Department but the cost of this is not borne on Department of the Environment Votes.
I am concerned to ensure that in addition to these specific aid projects developing nations should have access to general research work carried out by my Department that might be of interest to them. I have held discussions both at the United Nations Conference on the Environment and subsequently in order to ensure this.