§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about plans for participation in the United Nations' Year of the Child in 1979 by the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. MoylePreparations for United Kingdom participation in the International Year of the Child in 1979 are at a very preliminary stage. Voluntary organisations concerned with children have held a number of meetings to consider possible initiatives they might undertake in response to the year. My right hon. Friend discussed their proposals and in particular their proposals for a coordinating secretariat—to which the Voluntary Services Unit of the Home Office has offered to make a grant—with them in October last year. He expects to meet them again shortly. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has agreed, subject to parliamentary approval, to contribute £150,000 over three years towards the administrative costs of the International Year of the Child Secretariat established by UNICEF, and £40,000 towards the cost of a conference being organised in London later this year as part of the preparatory activities for the year, to examine methods by which primary school age children in developing countries could be involved in improving the health of preschool children.