§ 18. Mr. William Shepherdasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the amount of money spent overseas annually by the British Council and the information services attached to the Embassies and Legations.
§ Mr. BevinThe current annual rate of expenditure overseas by the British Council is £1,375,000 and by the Information 956 sections of the Foreign Service is £1,100,000.
§ Mr. ShepherdDoes the right hon. Gentleman really feel this expenditure to be justified in view of the difficult balance of payments position, and could it not be materially reduced without interfering with the really vital side of this service?
§ Mr. BevinI think the money is well spent. If Great Britain is to be kept on the map, we cannot leave the world to everybody else. This has been really wisely controlled. I think it is absolutely essential to get over to the world at present information as to what we are doing, our way of life, our democratic institutions, our universities and all the rest of our forms.