HC Deb 08 April 1982 vol 21 cc450-3W
Mr. Moyle

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's contribution to the United Nations Works and Relief Agency for each of the last five years for which figures are available, both absolutely and as a proportion of the United Nations Works and Relief Agency's budget.

Mr. Neil Marten

Her Majesty's Government's contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East over the past five years are as follows:

United Kingdom contribution £ million Percentage of total budget
1977 4.6 5.96
1978 4.0 6.26
1979 4.4 5.62
1980 4.5 4.94
1981 5.0 4.20

In addition, the European Community's substantial contribution to UNRWA is financed by member States, of which the United Kingdom's share is approximately one-fifth.

Mr. Moyle

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Nations Works and Relief Agency schools operate two shifts per day.

Mr. Neil Marten

The agency has advised that out of a total of 643 schools, 477 share buildings on a shift basis.

Mr. Moyle

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Nations Works and Relief Agency schools are (a) full-equipped with electric lighting and therefore usuable during twilight and darkness, (b) heated and (c) air-conditioned.

Mr. Neil Marten

The agency has provided the following figures(a) 516, (b) 228, and (c) nil.

Mr. Moyle

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average size of the United Nations Works and Relief Agency (a) primary and (b) secondary school classes; and what are the pupil teacher ratios.

Mr. Neil Marten

The agency has provided the following information:

  1. (a) Elementary School:
    1. Average class size 40.7; pupil/teacher ratio 37.5 to 1.
  2. (b) Preparatory (lower secondary) School:
    1. Average class size 39.3; pupil/teacher ratio 28.6 to 1.

These figures include head teachers.

Mr. Moyle

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on average how many hours of formal instruction are given per day to each pupil in an United Nations Works and Relief Agency school.

Mr. Neil Marten

The agency has advised that pupils in double-shift schools receive five daily lessons of 40 minutes each, and those in single-shift schools six daily lessons of 45 minutes each.

Mr. Moyle

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for how many schools the United Nations Works and Relief Agency is responsible and in which countries.

Mr. Neil Marten

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East is responsible for 643 schools as follows:

Schools
Jordan (East) 208
West Bank 99
Gaza Strip 140
Lebanon 85
Syrian Arab Republic 111

Mr. Moyle

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the United Nations Works and Relief Agency's financial requirement to maintain in 1982–83 the programme of education similar to that which it supported in 1981–82; which countries are contributing; and by how much.

Mr. Neil Marten

The budget of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East is based on calendar years. To maintain in 1982 an education programme similar to that undertaken in 1981 UNRWA estimates a requirement of US$150,855,000.

Countries contribute to UNRWA's overall budget costs, rather than to individual parts of the programme. In 1982 pledged or estimated contributions are at present expected by UNRWA as follows:

US $ '000
Argentina 10
Australia 1,002
Austria 132
Bahamas 1
Bahrain 15
Belgium 1,864
Brazil 10
Canada 6,800
Chile 4
China 50
Denmark 2,837
Egypt 7
European Community 33,955
Finland 312
France 2,108
Gaza authorities 103
West Germany 6,071
Ghana 5
Greece 40
Holy See 13
Iceland 18
India 22
Indonesia 8
Iran 30
Iraq 500
Ireland 131
Israel 547
Italy 841
Jamaica 3
Japan 11,953
Jordan 768
Kuwait 600
Lebanon 63
Liberia 5
Libya 1,250
Luxembourg 10
Malaysia 5
Maldives 1
Mauritius 2
Mexico 5
Monaco 1
Morocco 42
Netherlands 2,541
New Zealand 101
Norway 3,954
Oman 25
Pakistan 21
Panama 1
Philippines 6
Portugal 10
Qatar 100
Korea 5
San Marino 2
Saudi Arabia 1,200
Senegal 2
Seychelles 1
Singapore 4
Spain 1,000
Sri Lanka 1
Sudan 6
Suriname 1
US $'000
Sweden 10,883
Switzerland 4,689
Syria 163
Thailand 16
Trinidad and Tobago 2
Tunisia 11
Turkey 20
United Arab Emirates 800
United Kingdom 9,766
United States of America 67,000
Venezuela 10
Yemen 2
Yugoslavia 25
Total 174,533

Mr. Moyle

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what programmes the United Nations Works and Relief Agency is responsible; and what proportion of its budget was allocated to each for the last financial year for which figures are available.

Mr. Neil Marten

In relation to its responsibilities for Palestine refugees in the Near East the United Nations Relief and Works Agency's programme allocations for the calendar year 1981 were in the following proportions:

Percentage of total budget
Education Services 54
Health Services 16
Relief Services 24
Miscellaneous 6

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