asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to the number of member countries of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation whose national commissions or their equivalent are chaired by a member of the Government; and if he will make a statement.

According to information provided by UNESCO in March 1985 there were 93 national commissions chaired by a member of the Government concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future status of the United Kingdom National Commission for the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation in the light of Her Majesty's Government's conditional decision to withdraw from that body.

The United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO would continue in its present form until at least the end of 1985, when our decision on Britain's possible continued membership of the organisation will have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received concerning Her Majesty's Government's conditional decision to withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

At the end of June, 134 written representations had been received since the announcement of our conditional decision to withdraw from UNESCO.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications of the proposed withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation for North-South relations; and if he will make a statement.

Some developing countries have shown concern that our giving notice indicates a loss of interest by Western countries in the United Nations system and multilateral co-operation. I hope that the energy we and other Western countries have shown in seeking improvement in UNESCO will disabuse them of this belief.