§ Mr. RowlandsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Commonwealth scholarships were funded by the Government in(a) 1994–95 and (b) 1995–96; and what is the planned number for 1996–97. [20045]
§ Mr. HanleyA total of 7,144 Commonwealth students were given awards to study and train in the UK in 1994–95. Figures for 1995–96 are not yet available but are likely to be broadly similar.
The number of scholarships is likely to fall in 1996–97 due to reductions in the various budgets from which awards are funded and policy changes to improve the effectiveness of training within the UK's bilateral country aid projects.