HC Deb 09 February 1943 vol 386 c1166
56. Mr. John Dugdale

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many university posts there are which are concerned directly with the study of colonial problems?

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Assheton)

In the last year before the war (1938–39) there were, in the universities of Great Britain, 16 posts dealing with specialised subjects such as Imperial and Colonial History, Colonial Administration and Constitution of the British Empire. The hon. Member will appreciate that the study of colonial problems is not a separate field but is also covered to a large extent by many other Departments, especially history, geography, economics, political science, sociology, anthropology, languages, tropical diseases and agriculture. Mention should also be made of the London School of Oriental and African Studies, where the scope of teaching covers the culture and history of Oriental and African countries and of the Far East.

Mr. Dugdale

Is the Minister satisfied that there are sufficient of these posts, in view of the large numbers of questions to be studied?

Mr. Assheton

That is rather a different question.