Oral Answers to Questions — Overseas Development – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 20 Hydref 1969.
Mr Terence Higgins
, Worthing
12:00,
20 Hydref 1969
asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she will take steps designed to improve negotiating procedures for the replenishment of the International Development Association.
Mrs Judith Hart
, Lanark
The President of the Association, Mr. McNamara, has already made proposals designed to ensure that the next replenishment can be settled in enough time to allow the Association to enter new commitments from the middle of 1971, and we support these proposals.
Mr Terence Higgins
, Worthing
Could the right hon. Lady say what she thinks is the absolute deadline for replenishment? Does she intend to urge that the next programme will cover five years rather than the very short period which was covered on the previous occasion?
Mrs Judith Hart
, Lanark
The proposals of Mr. McNamara are that there should be agreement, if possible, by the end of June, 1970, so that the necessary legislation can be introduced and enacted by the end of June, 1971. The first payments would then become payable in November, 1971. As the hon. Gentleman will know, the difficulty on the last occasion was caused by delays in legislation. We shall certainly seek to fulfil the McNamara proposal.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
