§ Lieut.-Colonel Sharpasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Executive Committee of the British Council have now elected a new chairman; and whether a statement will now be made on the future constitution, functions and policy of the British Council.
Mr. McNeilI am glad now to be able to inform the House of the decisions which have been taken regarding the future of the British Council. The report which Sir F. Stewart presented in February, 1945, to the then Chancellor of the Exchequer and Foreign Secretary has been very carefully considered, and the work and organisation of the British Council has been reviewed in relation to the work and organisation of the Government's overseas information services. It has been decided that the Council shall continue to work under its Charter for another five years, after which the position shall again be reviewed. General Sir Ronald Adam has been appointed Chairman of the Council. In order to avoid overlapping between the. British Council and the Government's overseas information services, it has been laid down that in future the Council's scope will be restricted to educational and cultural work. Provision is consequently382W being made for close consultation between the Council and the Overseas Departments responsible for information work, and there will in general be a closer scrutiny by the Government of the Council's projected activities. The Council will, like the information services, draw on the Central Office of Information for the production and procurement of its material. The British Council will continue to be financed by a grant in aid paid by the Foreign Office, and the Colonial Office will continue to repay the Council for the expenses of its work in and for the territories for which the Colonial Office is responsible.