HC Deb 06 March 1972 vol 832 cc222-4W
Sir T. Beamish

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for improving cultural contacts between the United Kingdom and West European countries.

Mr. Rippon

Her Majesty's Government propose, subject to the agreement of Parliament, that a total sum not exceeding £6 million should be spent over the next four years on a programme designed to improve our cultural relations with Europe. As part of this programme, the British Council's activities in Europe will be expanded at an additional cost of about £3½ million over four years.

In the field of education the Government propose, in the first instance, to offer through the British Council 50 fellowships a year to postgraduates from Western European countries to pursue studies at British universities, at an initial cost of £62,000 in 1973–74 rising to £230,000 a year when the scheme is fully operative. The Department of Education and Science will provide funds to assist European teachers to attend the Department's short courses for teachers, and to enable the Centre for Information on Language Teaching, in co-operation with the British Council's English Teaching Information Centre. to function as a European centre for information on current research in modern language teaching; my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science has described these two schemes in greater detail today in answer to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. John E. B. Hill). The British Council's English Language Teaching Advisory Services will be expanded. The British Council will also receive £63,000 rising to £150,000 to promote an interest in British books in Europe, and co-operation between European libraries, and to create science and technology information units in certain European countries.

Funds will be made available to the British Council to improve links between British and European universities, and to promote exchanges and meetings between British and European professions and specialists.

The facilities for scientific and technological interchange with Europe will be expanded. The Royal Society will receive from the Department of Education and Science additional annual grants of initially up to £40,000 in 1973–74 to permit the number of fellowships made under the Western European Scientific Interchange programme to be doubled.

Supplementary exchanges arranged by the British Council and the Council's scientific staff in Europe will be strengthened.

The British Council will receive an annual grant of £100,000 rising to £150,000 to support the European programmes of artistic companies and to ensure adequate British participation in major cultural events such as the "Europalia" arts festival to be held in Belgium in 1973. The British Academy will receive from the Department of Education and Science a grant of £25,000 rising to £50,000 for exchanges with European countries in the humanities.

It is hoped also that a British Cultural Centre will be established in Paris to rehouse both the British Council and the British Institute.

It is intended that cultural contacts should not be confined to the traditional areas of education and the arts.

Facilities for Anglo-European youth exchanges will be expanded. In addition to funds provided or shortly to be provided for youth exchanges with Germany and France, the British Council will receive £50,000 rising to £200,000 for grants to develop further Anglo-European youth exchanges. The Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges will also receive from the Department of Education and Science an additional annual grant of £7,500 to assist in the promotion of exchanges between young workers.

The Government also intend to make grants to non-governmental organisations involved in visits and exchanges with European countries. In 1972–73 grants in aid of £20,000 will be made by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the European Educational Research Trust for exchanges between young people, £10,000 to the Women's Group on Public Welfare for exchanges between women's organisations and £10,000 to the Federal Trust for Education and Research for its programme of European conferences. The grant in aid to the European Movement for the purpose of visits and exchanges will be increased to £20,000. A further sum of £110,000 will be available to assist other organisations to promote European exchanges, visits and conferences. The Government also believe that encouragement should be given to local authorities involved in civic link programmes with Europe. The British Council will, in addition to existing funds, receive funds to help local authorities involved in town-twinning, and a grant in aid of £9,000 will be made to the British sections of the Council of European Municipalities and the International Union of Local Authorities for a joint European programme.

A European Discussion Centre will shortly be established in the United Kingdom.

The External Services of the B.B.C. will receive an annual increase of £35,000 in their programme funds to promote broadcasting exchanges and develop Anglo-European links.

These measures will involve many sections of the community and should make a significant impact in the countries of Western Europe.