HC Deb 01 February 1960 vol 616 cc607-8
4. Mr. Mayhew

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the overall cost of the overseas information services.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Dr. Charles Hill)

The estimated cost in 1959–60 is £16,964,140.

Mr. Mayhew

In spite of the welcome recent improvement, is the Chancellor aware that this sum is still miserably small compared with the needs and opportunities? Will he assure the House that it is his policy to expand these services in the future, particularly the unofficial kind, the British Council, the B.B.C., and also in appropriate cases to give support to unofficial projects furthering good will and understanding between this country and other countries?

Dr. Hill

On the general point, the expenditure on overseas information services has increased in the last three years from £13 million to approximately £17 million. A substantial part of that has gone to the British Council, with particular reference to its teaching of English and its library services overseas. I do take into account the last point the hon. Gentleman mentioned.

5. Mr. Mayhew

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of the cost of the overseas information services is attributable to the British Council, the British Broadcasting Corporation external services, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Colonial Information Services, respectively.

Dr. Hill

The proportions in 1959–60 are, approximately:—

per cent.
British Council 30.3
B.B.C. External Services 39.0
Foreign Office 18.3
Commonwealth Relations Office 8.4
Colonial Office 3.7
Other Departments 0.3

Mr. Mayhew

While it looks as though the B.B.C. and the British Council do well, is the Chancellor aware that there is a tendency when we have an overall budget like this for those bodies which have no Minister to speak for them generally to go to the wall? Will he particularly look at the B.B.C.' s position in this respect? Is the Chancellor aware that it looks as though the B.B.C. may have to cut its transmissions this year? I cannot believe that that is really the policy of the Government.

Dr. Hill

The hon. Member mentioned both the British Council and the B.B.C. The expenditure in 1959–60 of the British Council is rather more than £5 million. The expenditure of the B.B.C.' s external services is rather more than £6 million. In both cases there has been some increase in the last three years, much greater in the case of the British Council.

Mr. Mayhew

And in the B.B.C.' s overseas services?

Dr. Hill

If we look at the figures for the last three years, under each of the services which were the subject of the hon. Member's Question we see there has been an increase.

Mr. Dugdale

Can the right hon. Gentleman explain exactly how far he personally is responsible for these allocations?

Dr. Hill

Overseas Ministers are responsible for their own information policy and output. My task is to coordinate the expenditure within the permitted ceiling.