HC Deb 23 February 1954 vol 524 cc180-1
8. Mr. Swingler

asked the Secretary of State for War on how many occasions the Army has used the facilities of Ashridge (Bonar Law Memorial) College in the last five years; for what purposes; and what were the payments involved.

Mr. Head

Army students attended 111 courses and some £4,400 has been paid to the college. The courses were in the main concerned with resettlement and general topics of educational interest and value.

Mr. Swingler

Is the Secretary of State aware—I have no doubt he is—that the governing body of this college is nominated by the Conservative Party? May we therefore have an assurance that similar facilities are being used at colleges belonging to the Labour Party? If not, may we know why there is this political discrimination?

Mr. Head

There is no political discrimination in relation to this college. The best proof of that is that in 1950 the right hon. Member for Dundee, West (Mr. Strachey) sent 420 students to the college and last year I sent 192.