HL Deb 11 March 1964 vol 256 cc415-7

2.39 p.m.

LORD WALSTON

My 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 how many Commonwealth students to whom Mature State Scholarships have been granted have been unable to find places in a university or university college in England and Wales.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF DUNDEE)

My Lords, Mature State Scholarships are confined to those who are normally resident in England and Wales. Of successful candidates originating from other parts of the Commonwealth, my right honourable friend the Minister of Education knows of one who has been unable to find a place at a university.

LORD WALSTON

My Lords, the noble Earl says that one is known of. May I ask him whether that is the same as saying that there is only one who has been unable to find a place, or is it that so far as the Government know there is only one?

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

I think so, my Lords, because there have been only eight candidates from other parts of the Commonwealth since 1957, and this is the only one who has not found a place.

LORD WALSTON

My Lords, since the objective of this admirable scheme of trying to help Commonwealth students to higher education is presumably both to give better education to people from the Commonwealth and to promote good relationships in the Commonwealth, would the noble Earl not agree that it is unfortunate that even one out of eight of these recipients has been unable to find a place in a university? Would the noble Earl not agree that there is some lack of liaison between different authorities that makes this possible?

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, I do not think that it is a question of liaison between authorities. The object of the scheme is to help people over 25 in England and Wales, although applicants of Commonwealth origin are not excluded if they have resided here for three years. There were six recipients of awards in England and Wales last year who failed to get places in a university, but the Question relates only to Commonwealth applicants.

LORD GREENHILL

My Lords, does the noble Earl think that if this State scholarship scheme were extended to Scotland, that might help in the difficulty?

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, it does not apply to Scotland. Whether there is any comparable alternative there, I cannot say without notice.

LORD WALSTON

My Lords, would the noble Earl then do what he can to see that this scheme is extended to Scotland, and thereby make the field of choice for the unsuccessful applicants somewhat wider than it is at present?

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, that is a different question except in this sense: that the new regulations of last year enable the Minister to give an award to a university outside the United Kingdom.