17. The purpose of programme support reimbursements was to help the Department to inqrove the technical services it provided to developing countries. In recent years the Department's policy had been systematically to plough such funds back into programmes, especially their technical components, so as to improve the quality of its work. 18. The Department's programme depended also on the priori ties set by Governments themselves. Traditionally, UNDP provided two thirds of the funding for the Department's programme and UNEPA 20 per cent, with the balance coming from the regular programme and special trust funds. In view of the financial difficulties which UNEPA had been experiencing recently and the decision taken by the UNDP Governing Council to reorder its priorities and to place greater emphasis on family planning in the population programme, which fell more within the sphere of the World Health Organization, the Department's population activities -including, in particular, censuses, which accounted for a large share of the programme executed for UNFPA -had declined. The Department had thus become more dependent on UNDP, sin:::e the latter now provided more than 80 per cent of the funding for the operational programme. 19. Some delegations had voiced fears that the objectives set for the current year were not attainable. In reality, the Department's slow start in that respect was not as great as might be thought at first sight, given the difficulties encountered in recent months. The delivery rate was off by only 7 per cent in comparison with 1982, and steps were being taken to catch up by the end of the year. 20. Replying to the United States representative, who had observed that the planned delivery rate for 1983 was higher than ever, which had caused the Advisory Committee some concern, she said that the Department's budget was not static and 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the financial situation and operational activities of a department, specifically mentioning censuses, population activities, and funding from UNDP and UNEPA. The focus is on the management and allocation of funds, rather than on a specific sector or industry. This suggests that the category may be related to development or international cooperation.

**Category**
Health, International Development