§ 112 Sir A. Herbertasked the Minister of Education whether the Crown has acquired the copyright in Mr. Ogden's books on the subject of Basic English; what other rights the Crown has acquired; and why it was necessary to make a payment of £23,000.
§ Mr. TomlinsonThe copyright which the Crown is acquiring is in the Basic Standardised Word List and System. As168W regards the second and third parts of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 3rd March to the hon. Member the Junior Burgess for Cambridge University (Mr. Wilson Harris), a copy of which I am sending to him.
§ 113 Mr. Wilson Harrisasked the Minister of Education whether the decision announced in Cmd. 6511 that primary responsibiity for questions affecting Basic English rests with the Foreign Office still stands; how often the inter-departmental committee on the subject has met; and who is its chairman.
§ Mr. TomlinsonAs I informed the hon. Member on 3rd March, a grant-in-aid to the Basic English Foundation will, subject to the provision of the necessary funds by Parliament, be carried on the Vote of my Department for the financial year beginning 1st April next. This grant-in-aid will be used solely to assist the activities of the Foundation in this country, e.g., in maintaining the standards of the Basic system and increasing the supply of books in Basic for purchase and use abroad. From 1st April next the responsibility for questions relating to the activities of the Foundation in this country but not for questions relating to the use of Basic in countries overseas, will rest with my Department. The arrangements which I informed the hon. Member were being made for cooperation between, my Department and other Departments will supersede the Inter-Departmental Committee set up by the Foreign Office, which, I understand, has held six formal meetings under the Chairmanship of Professor Ifor Evans.