§ 2.40 p.m.
§ LORD MITCHISONMy 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 whether they are aware of any changes made within the past three months in the constitution or personnel of the Board which allots scholarships in the University of Salisbury, Rhodesia; who made such changes and on what dates, and whether they consider that such changes are consistent with academic freedom, with equality of opportunity as between students of different races or with any conditions upon which Her Majesty's Government authorise contributions to or for the benefit of the University.]
416§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS (LORD BESWICK)My Lords, the Rhodesian Scholarships Board, which is concerned with the award of Government grants to students of all races obtaining places at the University College, has recently been reconstituted by the Rhodesian Ministry of Education. It formerly comprised a majority of non-officials, including two representatives of the University College, and was chaired by a High Court Judge. The new body is a board of trustees consisting solely of officials of the Ministry of Education. It remains to be seen whether these changes have any adverse or limiting effects. So far the University College has been free to select its students solely on the basis of their academic qualifications and merits. Until it is known what grants have been made for admission of students in the next academic year at the beginning of March, it will not be possible to express a view on the points referred to in the last part of the noble Lord's Question.
§ LORD MITCHISONMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend Lord Beswick for that Answer, may I ask him this further question? Is it not the case that the Rhodesian Ministry of Education and its representatives are part of a treasonable and illegal régime; and in those circumstances are the Government of opinion that it is desirable, for instance, to continue grants to a University which in this respect appears to be run by the representatives of the illegal régime? And do they think it consistent with the considerations I put forward in my Question?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, Her Majesty's Government think it desirable to have a University College operating there so long as the Ministry's representatives fulfil the objectives which were set before the College at the outset; and so far there has been no evidence that they will depart from these objectives.
With regard to the more specific aspects of my noble friend's remarks, the Rhodesian Scholarships Board, about which he asked his Question—and I have already given some details—is not the body responsible for governing the College. That is a separate body and, as 417 I indicated to my noble friend Lord Brockway last week, the College Council have said that they do not propose to be intimidated by any political Party.
§ LORD MITCHISONMy Lords, I appreciate that it is the College Council which runs the College, but is it consistent with academic freedom and with the supposedly multiracial character of the university, that the Board which appoints people for scholarships consists of civil servants, so-called, who are the representatives of a treasonable régime pledged, as I understand it, to a uniracial attitude? Whether the Government wait a little or not, do they really intend to continue grants when this position exists as regards these scholarships, which will presumably depend to some extent on money provided by the Government of this country? To put the matter quite succinctly, the British lion's tail is being twisted, and we pay for teaching people to do it.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I put it to my noble friend that there is a balance of argument here. Some people have argued, as my noble friend has done, that the grants must stop. There are others who have argued, with equal sincerity, that it would be a mistake to stop the grants at this point of time. Those people, including Her Majesty's Government, who are not unmindful of the considerations brought forward by my noble friend, nevertheless feel that for the time being it would be wrong to withhold the grant. However, it will certainly be a matter for further consideration, when the next quarterly instalment becomes due, as to what has been done so far about giving grants to Africans.