HC Deb 05 November 1993 vol 231 cc594-5W
Dr. Spink

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the factors other than finance preventing United Kingdom membership of UNESCO.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

As I made clear in my evidence on UNESCO to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 7 July, we recognise and welcome the progress which the organisation has taken towards reform since we left in 1985. But UNESCO still lacks a coherent policy on decentralisation and needs to present a focused approach drawing together the strands of its broad mandate. But we have to take into account the financial constraints we face and the other demands on our resources when reviewing any decision if and when to rejoin UNESCO.