§ 3.5 p.m.
§ LORD ALPORTMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what future financial arrangements have been made respecting the University College of Rhodesia in Salisbury, and what contribution will be made to its maintenance by Great Britain.]
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMONMWEALTH RELATIONS AND FOR THE COLONIES (THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE)My Lords, most of the recurrent costs of the College for 1964 have been met by the transfer of a Federal grant. Arrangements for financing the College after 1964 are at present the subject of negotiation between the Governments concerned. We hope to arrange for a meeting to be held in Salisbury to discuss the future of the College in the near future.
§ LORD ALPORTMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for his Answer, and I am sure that he will recognise, as all of us do, that the delay in reaching a final decision with regard to the financial future of this very important educational institute, important not only to Central Africa but also to Africa as a whole, is in fact doing damage to it. I hope, therefore, that when the negotiations are started in Salisbury Her Majesty's Government will regard the part that they can play financially in the future of the University with as generous an attitude as is possible, particularly in relation to the new medical school.
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREMy Lords, I should like to associate myself 1244 with my noble friend in agreeing that the sooner this question can be settled the better for all concerned. I would add one word of warning. Of course, it is not our general practice to contribute to the recurrent costs of overseas universities.
§ LORD ALPORTMy Lords, may I urge my noble friend that the Government should not close their minds to the possibility of having to make an exception to that rule in the particular case of this university, which has provided a very important forum for higher education on a multiracial basis in Central Africa?
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREMy Lords, with these talks due to be held very shortly, I think it would be unwise of me to say anything which might prejudice them.