§ 15. Sir Patrick Hannonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state as at the latest convenient date the programme of activities of the British Council in the Netherlands; whether proposals are being promoted for the improvement of cultural relations; and if plans have been completed for exchange of teachers and inspectors of schools between Great Britain and Holland to develop friendship and understanding between both countries.
§ Mr. MayhewAs the answer is rather long I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Sir P. HannonWould the Under-Secretary tell the House if everything possible is being done to establish close relations, cultural, trade and everything else, between the Netherlands and this country?
§ Mr. MayhewI think my answer will show that as far as cultural matters are concerned, that is certainly so.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The autumn programme of lectures and concerts comprises a Shakespeare symposium of eight lectures and a series of concerts of British music performed by both British and Dutch artists. The British House at Amsterdam contains a reading room and library of over 8,000 volumes of British works, a library of gramophone records and sheet music of British music and a library of 16 mm. films and film strips. All these are available on loan and are extensively used by the Dutch.
§ Amongst other normal activities arranged by the British Council outside British House during the Autumn and 12 Winter seasons are seven tours by British specialist lecturers. The Young Vic Company visited Amsterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and Leyden in November, presenting "As You Like It." An exhibition of contemporary British painting will be shown in Amsterdam next February.
§ For the current academic year, seven scholarships have been awarded to Dutch postgraduate students and three bursaries for shorter periods have been awarded to technicians.
§ Last Summer, a Summer school for Dutch teachers of English was held at Nijenrode by the British Council in conjunction with the Netherlands Ministry of Education. During the summer of 1948, some thirty Dutch students attended courses in Britain organised by the British Council, and 13 eminent Dutch visitors have visited Britain as guests of the British Council during the current year.
§ The first meeting of the Mixed Commission appointed under the Anglo-Netherlands Cultural Convention was held in London on 16th and 17th November. The whole field of Anglo-Netherlands cultural relations was discussed, and proposals for furthering them were made. A scheme for the interchange of university lecturers was agreed between the British Council and the Netherlands Ministry of Education.
§ With regard to the third part of the Question, I understand from my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Education, that he would warmly welcome an interchange of teachers between the two countries. Proposals to this end were fully discussed by the Commission and have been put forward for consideration by the Government of the Netherlands. Arrangements have already been made for an interchange of visits of Inspectors of the five Brussels Treaty countries.