§ Miss Joan Lestorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action is being taken by the Government to help promote activities in the United Kingdom for the International Year of the Child 1979.
§ Mr. EnnalsI am glad to say that the Government have agreed to make a grant282W of £100,000 for this purpose. Preparations for the year are being made by the Non Government Organisations' Liaison Group for the IYC (United Kingdom) 1979 acting on behalf of a wide range of voluntary organisations throughout the United Kingdom. It has agreed to assume responsibility for the main direction of the response in the United Kingdom to the International Year of the Child 1979 and the Government are grateful to the group for its willingness to do this.
The grant will be phased over two years and will enable the group, with help from voluntary organisations, to set up a secretariat in London with representation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to work under the auspices of the United Kingdom Committee for the IYC 1979, whose task it will be to prepare a programme in detail and rally support for carrying it out. So far as we can, we shall also be ready to help the secretariat with some facilities and advice.