§ Lord Brockwayasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will initiate consideration in the Security Council of the United Nations on the co-ordination of the activities of the United Nations Special Disaster Relief Organisation (UNDRO) to fulfil its task of providing adequate aid when natural disasters take place in the world and to prevent them.
§ Lord CarringtonUnder the United Nations Charter the Security Council have the primary responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security; it is not therefore the appropriate forum to consider natural disasters.
The United Nations Joint Inspection Unit has recently completed an evaluation of the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator (UNDRO) and submitted a report to the United Nations Secretary General. The Secretary General is expected to publish this shortly and Her Majesty's Government will participate in the ensuing debate.