§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the overhead charges included in the 391W charge for pigeon racing weather forcasts include a proportion to cover payments made to the World Meteorological Organisation.
§ Mr. WigginYes; but the proportion is so minute as to be lost in the rounding.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Defence what were the sums spent by the Meteorological Office on grants and subsidies to the World Meteorological Organisation in 1980–81 and 1981–82; and for what purpose these payments were made.
§ Mr. WigginThe United Kingdom's subscription to the World Meteorological Organisation and contribution towards world weather watch stations overseas totalled £604,681 in 1980–81 and £586,993 in 1981–82. The purpose was to participate in the world-wide co-operation in meteorology and the free exchange of data and products without which the provision of services in the United Kingdom would be considerably less efficient and a great deal more costly.
The United Kingdom also contributed £290,324 in 1980–81 and £266,808 in 1981–82 in grants, equipment and training for developing countries under the WMO voluntary co-operation programme.