HC Deb 06 June 1995 vol 261 cc94-5W
Mr. Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the United Kingdom's annual subscription to the International Labour Organisation. [26849]

Mr. Portillo

The UK's contribution to the ILO for 1994 amounted to £7,921,651.

Mr. Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much the International Labour Organisation's annual meeting will cost(a) the International Labour Organisation and (b) the United Kingdom. [26851]

Mr. Portillo

The ILO has made provision in its budget of ․5.4 million to cover the costs of this year's international labour conference in Geneva. The UK contributes to those costs through its subscription to the ILO. The cost of sending UK delegation to the conference is estimated to be about £58,000.

Mr. Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the cost to public funds of trade unions' attendance at the International Labour Organisation annual meeting. [26852]

Mr. Portillo

The cost to public funds is estimated to be £18,000.

Mr. Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the benefits to the United Kingdom of membership of the International Labour Organisation. [26853]

Mr. Portillo

In recent years, the ILO's purchase of goods and services for its technical co-operation programmes has provided consultants and others in the United Kingdom with financial benefits of about £2.25 million per annum.

Mr. Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total budget of the International Labour Organisation. [26854]

Mr. Portillo

The ILO's total budget for 1995 is 334,214,933 Swiss francs, which represents about £176.8 million at current exchange rates.

Mr. Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the impact of the United Kingdom's membership of the International Labour Organisation on the rate of United Kingdom unemployment. [26859]

Mr. Portillo

The United Kingdom's membership of the ILO has no impact on the rate of unemployment in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the format and purpose of the International Labour Organisation's annual meeting. [26860]

Mr. Portillo

The ILO's annual conference takes place every June and lasts for three weeks. National delegations consist of trade union, employer and Government representations. All the costs are met by Governments. Each year, the conference aims to adopt new conventions which, if ratified, apply to labour markets throughout the world.