§ Sir A. Bossomasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the full list of the classifications and the rates of allowance for each category of persons who came to Great Britain under the direction of the British Council.
§ Mr. R. AllanI have been asked to reply.
The British Council administers a wide variety of schemes under which persons come from overseas to the United Kingdom for the purpose of consulting their professional colleagues or of pursuing under supervision courses of training, study or research or of carrying out programmes of attachments or study visits.
For the financing of many of these schemes H.M. Government have no direct responsibility and do not fix the rates of maintenance where these exist.
Schemes which may be directly financed in whole or part by Her Majesty's Government and which are administered by the British Council are as follows: 169W
British Council Scholars … A British Council Scholar is an advanced student, usually a graduate, who has been competitively selected to continue his studies by attachment for an academic year or longer to a university or other higher educational institution in the United Kingdom. British Council Scholars are classified in three grades: Grade A. Undergraduates and industrial apprentices. Students of undergraduate standing having neither a degree nor long experience. Grade B. Postgraduates. Graduates and experienced industrial trainees of more mature age, the majority having held salaried posts in their own countries. Grade C. Seniors. Very senior graduates and distinguished trainees of high professional standing in their own countries. The following monthly rates of maintenance have been approved by Her Majesty's Treasury with effect from 1st October, 1958:—
Oxford and Cambridge London Elsewhere £ s. £ s. £ s. Grade A. … … … 46 0 39 0 35 0 Grade B. … … … 51 10 44 0 39 0 Grade C. … … … 57 0 57 0 48 10 Scholars attending residential courses, the fee for which includes maintenance and is paid by the Council, receive pocket money at the rate of £3 17s. per week in London (£3 6s. 6d. elsewhere) instead of the maintenance grant.
Grants are given for books and apparatus and, under certain conditions, for clothing and temporary lodging expenses. The scholar may recover the cost of approved study travel within the United Kingdom.
British Council Bursars A British Council Bursar is generally a person already established in his profession or trade for whom the Council arranges a course of training, study or research, usually not less than two, or exceeding six, months in length. The rates of maintenance and other grants approved for Council scholars are similarly applied to Council bursars, except that there are no undergraduate = (Grade A) bursars. Colombo Plan Trainees (other than those under the Directed Practical Training Scheme of the National Coal Board). The gradings and differentials approved for British Council Scholars are applied, as appropriate, in respect of the rates of maintenance allowed under each of these schemes. Baghdad Pact Trainees Trainees under the British Technical Assistance Scheme for Yugoslavia U.K./Ghana Mutual Technical Co-operation Scheme Trainees Trainees of the Foundation for Mutual Assistance in Africa South of the Sahara Colombo Plan Trainees under the Directed Practical Training Scheme of the National Coal Board. Special rates, related to age, have been approved for trainees under the Directed Practical Training Scheme of the National Coal Board, sponsored by the Technical Co-operation Scheme of the Colombo Plan as follows:—
£ At age 21 500 p.a. 22 522 23 544 24 565 25 and over 585 and for trainees with higher degrees:—
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£ At age 26 605 27 625 28 and over 645 In addition, United Nations and United Nations Specialised Agency Fellows, for whose administrative arrangements the British Council is responsible, receive from their respective specialised agencies the following stipends:—
£ Travel Status … … … … … 80 per month Resident Status … … … … … 60 per month and allowances for books and approved travel expenses within the United Kingdom