HC Deb 30 November 1965 vol 721 cc1203-5
1. Mr. Fisher

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she will endeavour, in suitable cases, to arrange short training courses for voluntary service overseas personnel soon after their arrival in the countries to which they have been posted.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Overseas Development (Mr. Albert E. Oram)

Such courses are a matter for the voluntary bodies, which fully appreciate their value. Some courses have been held and others arranged, and the number is likely to increase.

Mr. Fisher

Will the hon. Gentleman agree that although a short course for a week in this country before departure is certainly indispensable, it should, if possible, be supplemented by a further week on arrival in the country concerned, in order that these persons may learn about local problems and conditions? Will the hon. Gentleman, or his right hon. Friend if she is sympathetic to this point of view, consider asking at any rate the larger Commonwealth countries whether they would be prepared to undertake this work?

Mr. Oram

My Answer referred to courses in the recipient countries. This is in addition to those which are held in this country.

19. Mr. Longden

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is her present estimate of the number of graduate volunteers who will be going to serve overseas during the year 1965–66.

Mr. Oram

About 900 graduate and qualified volunteers.

Mr. Longden

Can the hon. Gentleman give the House any reasons for this rather disappointing shortfall of volunteers from his right hon. Friend's estimates, and even from the more realistic estimate of my right hon. Friend the Member for Mitcham (Mr. R. Carr) last year?

Mr. Oram

In the latter part of the summer there was an unusual number of withdrawals by people who had already volunteered. No doubt there was a variety of reasons for those withdrawals which are not easy to trace. As to whether this figure is disappointing, I point out to the hon. Gentleman that the figure for last year was 507 and that therefore the voluntary societies have done a magnificent job during the course of this year in stepping it up by over 300.

23. Mr. Longden

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many visits to schools and higher education institutions have been undertaken so far this year by her Department's officials to acquaint graduates and school-leavers with the opportunities for service overseas, both in professional and volunteer capacities.

Mr. Oram

Eighty-two, Sir. These visits were concerned with professional service. In addition, meetings have been held with voluntary associations which have access to audiences in schools and higher educational institutions to supply them with information and literature about professional service overseas.

Mr. Longden

Does the hon. Gentleman remember that last July he expressed agreement with one of his hon. Friend's anxiety for dynamism in this matter? Is he satisfied that dynamism has come about since then, because the 900, which is 300 short of the graduate volunteers the Government were prepared to finance, is disappointing? Is sufficient being done through the schools and universities?

Mr. Oram

The hon. Gentleman's supplementary question seems to relate more to volunteers than to professional opportunities to which my Answer referred. I think that the Answer I have given and the figures in relation to volunteers show a considerable improvement, and I think this justifies the phrases that I used during the debate last time.

Sir E. Boyle

Does not the hon. Gentleman agree that this matter has gained added importance since last year's Ottawa Conference on Commonwealth co-operation, with important new schemes like the study and serve scheme? In view of those new initiatives, would the hon. Gentleman ensure that these matters re ally are brought to the notice of as many higher educational institutions as possible as well as schools?

Mr. Oram

Officials from our Department are constantly engaged in this work, and I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that we put the utmost effort into this matter.