§ Mr. Shoreasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will publish figures for the original and the revised core budget of the British Council for 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83 and 1983–84.
§ Mr. BlakerThe British Council's core budget agreed by Ministers following the interdepartmental review was:
£ million at 1979 survey prices 1980–81 41.4 1981–82 39.8 1981–83 38.5 1983–84 37.5 It was expected that these figures would be reduced further by a requirement for the council to absorb 21 per cent. of the cost of the 1980 Civil Service pay award, and a reduction of up to £2 million a year in Aid Administration payments reflecting a lower level of agency work on behalf of the Overseas Development Administration.
The net figures now agreed for the core budget are:
1980–81 41.4 1981–82 40.2 1982–83 39.1 1983–84 38.0