§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about funding for the British Council in Africa. [112327]
§ Mr. HainThe grant in aid allocated by the British Council to its African directorates from 1994–95 to 1999–2000 has increased in cash terms from £13 million to £14 million (though this represents a 6 per cent. reduction in real terms). However, the overall level of activity undertaken by the Council in Africa over the same period has declined from £106 million to £59 million, as the result of a downturn in the management of development and training contracts.