§ 1. Mr. Swinglerasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations when the unexpended portion of the contribution of £2,875,000 from Colonial development and welfare funds towards the University of Rhodesia and Nyasaland will be spent; and what part the United Kingdom is playing in the negotiations about the university's future.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and for the Colonies (Mr. R. P. Hornby)Of the unspent balance of the £2,875,000 Colonial Development and Welfare funds allocated to the College, £304,000 has not yet been committed to individual schemes. The British Government have recently released £110,000 towards the building of a Students' Union. I cannot at present say when the remainder will be made available.
On the second part of the hon. Member's Question, I have nothing to add to the Answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) on 23rd January.
§ Mr. SwinglerIn view of the substantial contribution made by Britain towards this university, can the hon. Member say whether it is the intention that the British Government shall con- 508 tinue to be associated with the government of the University of Rhodesia and Nyasaland? Can he also say whether, in these negotiations, the Government will ensure that the university is maintained on multi-racial lines?
§ Mr. HornbyI cannot commit the British Government in advance of the forthcoming talks on the future of the college. The details of those talks will come later. As for the general principles on which the college is run, I am sure that we have a great deal of sympathy with what the hon. Member says.