§ 4. Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether the activities of the British Council are to be curtailed; to what extent; and in which Commonwealth countries.
§ Mrs. HartBritish Council representation is being withdrawn from four territories namely in Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados and Fiji, and some staffing economies are being made by reorganisation in Australia and Ceylon.
§ Mr. FisherSurely, cultural propaganda—for want of a better phrase—is really a relatively inexpensive way of making friends and influencing people. Therefore, particularly when economies are necessary, this may be a false one, and not the sort of thing we should cut down on. Will the hon. Lady reconsider it?
§ Mrs. HartI agree that it would be nice to think that no economies were 319 necessary. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that these have been made with the utmost care. The cultural side of the British Council's work in relation to these territories is largely to be continued by the High Commission's staff. It is the teaching of English, which is less necessary in these particular territories, which will be going.