§ Captain Bullockasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken since the signature of the Anglo-French Cultural Convention, to designate under Article 6 thereof organisations to ensure the execution of the provisions set out in that Convention and, in particular, those detailed in the protocol.
Mr. McNeilIn an exchange of notes between the Governments of the United Kingdom and France dated 2nd March, 1948, the British Council was designated as the principal agent of His Majesty"s Government for the execution of the measures falling within the scope of the Anglo-French Cultural Convention, in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 thereof.
§ Captain Bullockasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken since the Anglo-French Cultural Convention was signed a year ago to encourage the interchange between their territories of members of technical institutions, heads of schools and colleges, school teachers, pupils, students, research workers, librarians and persons engaged in the other activities mentioned in the preamble to the Convention.
Mr. McNeilCultural co-operation between the United Kingdom and France is of long standing and the signature of the Anglo-French Cultural Convention only marked a stage on the journey rather than the beginning. However, in order to further such co-operation the following steps have been taken during the past year:
188WThe Mixed Commission set up under the terms of Article 5 recommended the drawing up of a report on the question of the interchange of members of technical institutions and research workers between the United Kingdom and France setting forth the demands of this nature that exist, the names of the organisations concerned with it and the measures necessary for extending and improving it. This report will be considered at the next meeting of the Mixed Commission which is to be held in London on 16th, 17th and 18th May.
Under the assistant scheme for the exchange of teachers between this country and France, about 255 British assistants are now in France and about 557 French are here. Arrangements are also being made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Education for the introduction during the next school year of the senior assistants" scheme under which ten from each country will visit the other.
Another activity which has been extended during the past year is the linking of schools in this country with comparable schools in France and altogether well over 500 schools have now been so linked. There is also a steady stream of contacts arranged between individual pupils in this country and in France, the number of such contacts during 1948 being 4,500.
The Mixed Commission has made a number of recommendations on the question of reduced fares for travel between the two countries for groups of students and this is being investigated. The British Transport Commission has agreed that during the period 1st May to 30th September, parties of school children travelling to and from the Continent under the "linked schools" arrangements will be allowed to travel at reduced fares, except during the undermentioned periods:
Under the previous arrangement this type of travel was confined to Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at non-peak periods.189W
- From 6 p.m. Friday 22nd July to 6 p.m. 23rd July.
- From 6 p.m. Friday 29th July to 6 p.m. 30th July.
- From 6 p.m. Friday 5th August to 6 p.m. 6th August.
- From 6 p.m. Friday 12 August to 6 p.m. 13th August.
§ Captain Bullockasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken since the Anglo-French Cultural Convention was signed a year ago to encourage the development, by invitation or subsidy, of reciprocal visits of selected groups for the purpose of creating or increasing cultural, technical and professional collaboration between the two countries.
§ Captain Bullockasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken since the Anglo-French Cultural Convention was signed a year ago to encourage the provision of scholarships or bursaries in such manner as to enable nationals of each country to undertake or pursue studies, technical training or research work in the other country.
Mr. McNeilA survey was made for the first meeting of the Mixed Commission of scholarships provided for study in France and Britain by graduates of the other country. In the opinion of the Mixed Commission the number of postgraduate scholarships tenable in France by British graduates is adequate.
The British universities give 50 scholarships each year tenable in France (though not all exclusively tenable in France). In 1948–49 the French Government gave 27 scholarships for 10 months (i.e. the academic year), the British Institute gave six and the London Chamber of Commerce gave two. The French Government also give a number of scholarships to enable their own nationals to study at British universities.
For the academic year 1948–49, seven scholarships have been awarded by the British Council to French nationals for graduate study. In addition scholarships have been awarded by the British Council to two French physicists under an exchange arrangement with theCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique. During 1948–49 six bursaries for shorter periods have been awarded by the British Council.
For 1949–50, 12 scholarships have been reserved by the British Council for French graduates. Of these two are awarded under the exchange arrangement with theCentre National de la Recherche 190W Scientifique and one or more scholarships may be divided into a number of bursaries for shorter periods.
§ Captain Bullockasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken since the Anglo-French Cultural Convention was signed a year ago to encourage closer co-operation between learned societies and educational and specialist groups of the two countries for the purposes of providing mutual aid in intellectual, artistic, scientific, technical and educational activities and sociological studies and practice.
Mr. McNeil,The British Council has assisted delegates from France to attend the following conferences:
Physical Society Conference 8 Greek and Roman Studies Conference 1 International Congress on Mental Health 2 Shakespeare Conference 1 British Association for the Advancement of Science Conference 1 British Mycological Conference 1 Ninth International Congress of Industrial Medicine 1 Conference on Fundamental Physics 1 As regards activities of Government organisations concerned in scientific matters there has been a gradual but steady building up and extension of the close and cordial relations which had been operating between scientific organisations and individual scientists before the signature of the Anglo-French Cultural Convention. In addition a Scientific Liaison officer has recently been appointed for work in France on behalf of the various Civil Departments.
§ Captain Bullockasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken since the Anglo-French Cultural Convention was signed a year ago to encourage the development of holiday courses to be attended by school pupils, students, teachers and academic personnel from France and Great Britain, respectively.
Mr. McNeilDuring the summer of 1948, four summer schools were held in France by the British Council for French teachers. Nearly 300 teachers attended, comprising boarding school teachers, day school teachers, teachers of English and lower secondary school teachers. Plans are in hand for two summer schools to be held in France this year. Two short 191W courses for British teachers were held in Paris last year in science and history and there is to be a short course in the French language which 100 teachers will be attending next July. In addition my right hon. Friend the Minister of Education has a course for teachers which runs for a year in Paris. This year is the first year and there are only seven people there, but the scheme is to be extended next year to provide for 40 teachers.