§ 2.37 p.m.
§ LORD HAILEYMy Lords, I beg to ask the question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To invite the attention of His Majesty's Government to paragraph 109 of the Report of the Inter-Departmental Commission on Oriental and Other Studies, dealing with the establishment of a Centre of Oriental Culture in this country, and to ask whether His Majesty's Government intend to publish the Report of the Committee, presided over by the Marquess of Zetland, which forwarded its recommendations on this subject to the Government in January, 1945.]
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL AND PAYMASTER-GENERAL (VISCOUNT ADDISON)My Lords, the recommendations in paragraphs 109 to 112 of the Scarbrough Report have been considered on the lines suggested in the Report, but I fear that I am not in a position to make any statement on the subject.
His Majesty's Government have considered further the publication of the Report of Lord Zetland's Committee. They wish to pay a most cordial tribute to the invaluable work done by Lord Zetland and his Committee, which has been of the greatest assistance in dealing with this important issue. But the situation has in so many respects been radically altered since the Report was written in 1945 that in their view it would no longer be advantageous to publish it, 271 and they have therefore informed Lord Zetland that they do not propose to do so.
§ LORD HAILEYI am obliged to the noble Viscount for his reply. I do not wish to press him on that particular subject, but he will realise that our real anxiety is for the foundation of a School of Oriental Culture. We shall seek a further opportunity to ask for a decision of His Majesty's Government on that point.