§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's decision to withdraw funding from the Commonwealth Institute.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydMy right hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary's decision was taken in the light of the pressing need to finance other forms of aid which are of higher priority. We very much hope that the Commonwealth Institute will use the period until March 1996, when grant support will cease, to reconstitute itself as a fully independent body, thus enabling it to continue some, if not all, of its existing activities. We shall do all we can to assist the board and the Director General to secure a sound future.