Commonwealth
House of Lords

Lord Judd (Labour)

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Northover on 17 July (WA 25-6), what steps they are taking to achieve a co-ordinated approach by all members of the Commonwealth in their policies and contributions to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the World Food Programme, the International Food Policy Research Institute, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, the Global Partnership for Education, the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, the World Health Organisation and similar multilateral organisations.

Baroness Northover (Whip, House of Lords; Liberal Democrat)

The arrangements for co-ordination between the UK and other Commonwealth countries vary between the different organisations. There is a Commonwealth group in UNESCO which provides an excellent forum for exchanges of views amongst members from different parts of the world with different perspectives-this is an arrangement which appears to work well and we are exploring the scope for replicating it elsewhere. In other organisations the UK is part of regional groups which include Commonwealth partners, and works with Commonwealth countries to agree approaches in the margins of executive boards and other meetings. There are also periodic meetings of Commonwealth Health and Education Ministers which address issues relevant to the work of some of the named bodies.