HL Deb 20 July 1978 vol 395 cc425-8

3.19 p.m.

Lord HATCH of LUSBY

My Lords. I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to increase substantially the resources for education about overseas development ("development education") in this country.

Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOE

My Lords, the Advisory Committee on Development Education, of which my noble friend is a distinguished member, has submitted a report with recommendations to my right honourable friend the Minister for Overseas Development. Full and detailed consideration is being given to the report and my right honourable friend hopes to be able to make an announcement before the Summer Recess.

Lord HATCH of LUSBY

My Lords, I again thank my noble friend for that Answer. Is she aware that while Sweden spends 15p per capita on development education, Norway and the Netherlands 10p per capita, this country spends 0.3 per cent. per capita? Would she agree with me that development education, education for greater knowledge of the cultures of the peoples overseas, is essential in view of my previous Question and the responses which came to it, and for the education of our younger generation for their place in the New World Village, and also to assist in improving race relations within this country?

Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOE

Yes, my Lords, I was aware of the figures my noble friend gave me because I read them in his own report. I quite agree with some of his comments on them. There is no question but that every Government needs an informed public opinion, and that is why Her Majesty's Government have started with the pilot scheme on development education and have every intention of continuing with it in the future.

Lord ELTON

My Lords, are the Government aware of the aspect of development education to which the noble Lord, Lord Hatch of Lusby, did not refer, which is that the economic interdependence of the developed and developing worlds is also of principal importance? Are the Government further aware that a great deal of this work can be, and indeed is being, done by voluntary agencies such as the World Development Movement, and that money given to them in programmes such as their development education programme to start this autumn will be extremely well spent? Will they consider very carefully and favourably any application they have from them for aid?

Baroness LLEWELYN-DAV1ES of HASTOE

Yes, my Lords, I entirely agree about the interdependence of the world, indeed its growing interdependence. The noble Lord will be glad to know that we have already made an offer of £600,479 running up to March 1982 for precisely some of those organisations which he mentioned. Historically they have always taken the initiative. The Government are now giving them financial aid to help them to carry on and expand.

Lord ROBBINS

My Lords, would the noble Baroness agree with me regarding the contribution of higher education in this country, to use the phrase of the noble Lord who asked the original Question, that knowledge of countries overseas is not a contribution of which we need be at all ashamed?

Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOE

Yes, indeed, my Lords.

Lord FERRIER

My Lords, would the noble Baroness agree that every penny spent in supporting organisations such as the college at Farnham Castle is money well spent in the direction of reaching the end which the noble Lord seeks to attain?

Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOE

My Lords, I have no detailed knowledge of it, but I am sure that that is true.

Lord HATCH of LUSBY

My Lords, would my noble friend agree, in view of the exchanges that have ensued from this Question, first that the Committee to which she refers has been supporting over the last 18 months the voluntary organisations already mentioned, but that if we in this country were to spend the same proportionate amount of money as the Swedes are now spending, that figure that she gave of £600,000 would become something like £6 million to £8 million a year?

Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOE

Well my Lords; the noble Lord's arithmetic is rather subtler than mine, but I hope he is right.

Lord LEATHERLAND

My Lords, will my noble friend bear in mind that the Swedes did not have to fight and pay for two World Wars?