§ Dame Irene Wardasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many individuals have attended the Middle East Centre for Arab Studies in the Lebanon during the past five years; how many attained proficiency in Arabic; and how many are working where this language is of use.
§ Mr. Dodds-Parker102 students attended the Middle East Centre for Arab Studies in the years 1951 to 1955. Of these 28 were members of the foreign service, 47 were members of the Armed Services and there were 27 others, including representatives of certain Commonwealth foreign services, commercial firms and the British Council. 26 of the 28 members of the foreign service attained proficiency in the language and 20 of them are at present serving in countries where Arabic is spoken. Information is not immediately available about the linguistic proficiency and present whereabouts of the non-foreign service students who have attended the Centre.