§ 1. Mr. Turtonasked the Minister of Overseas Development what proposals he is considering for the circulation of literature and periodicals to secondary schools and public libraries in the Caribbean.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Overseas Development (Mr. Albert E. Oram)I would like to see more British literature available for this purpose, but I doubt whether any such proposals could be given higher priority than the purposes to which the £750,000 of aid now available for school development in the Caribbean is being applied.
§ Mr. TurtonDoes the hon. Gentleman realise that since the discontinuance of the Caribbean service there is a great dearth of this material in Caribbean schools and that we have a responsibility to ensure that young people in the Caribbean have this material? Will he think again about it?
§ Mr. OramI will certainly examine the point the right hon. Gentleman has made. The normal provision of textbooks and periodicals is regarded as a recurrent cost which we expect to be met by the Governments there.
§ Mr. LiptonHaving returned from Jamaica a few days ago, may I draw my hon. Friend's attention to the need not only for literature and periodicals, but for the provision of a small film unit in each of the islands which could go out into the countryside and show films and film strips in villages? Such units would be greatly appreciated and would serve a very useful purpose.