HC Deb 18 February 1941 vol 369 cc61-2

Motion made, and Question proposed, That a Supplementary sum, not exceeding £,250, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1941, for the salaries and expenses of the Department of His Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and grants in aid of the Royal Institute of International Affairs and the British Association for International Understanding.

Mr. Ammon

I presume that this Supplementary Estimate really amounts to a winding-up of this Association, following very largely on the criticisms that were made in a recent Debate.

The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Butler)

Certainly this means that no further Government money will be allotted to the Association, but it does not mean the winding-up of the Association. I am glad to say that the Association has been able, in a variety of ways, to assure for itself, as I believe, a life in the future which will ensure the continuance of the publication of the "British Survey." This Survey awakened a great deal of interest and received a great deal of praise in a recent Debate, and therefore, it is satisfactory that in three ways— by an increased circulation of the Survey, by success in obtaining donations, and by a reduction in the expenditure on administration— it has been found possible to carry on the Association. This Vote really confines itself to repaying the Civil Contingencies Fund for the amount originally given to the Association. Therefore I think the Committee will agree that this is a satisfactory solution.

Sir S. Reed

I think we all welcome the statement that the work of this Association will not cease. Many of us have a high admiration for the work of the Association, and it was because we felt it was handicapped and weakened by a grant from Government funds that we thought it was inexpedient to continue the grants which had been proposed. This marks a complete severance of any financial connection between the Association and the Government, and I am sure the Committee will entirely approve of it.

Question put, and agreed to.