§ 120. Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what sum is allocated yearly out of public funds to pay for visits of journalists to this country from Commonwealth countries; and how this has been allocated in the last year.
§ Mr. AlportBetween 1952 and 1956 an annual sum, varying between £250 and £820, was allocated out of Central Office of Information funds to meet the expenses of Commonwealth visitors to this country: this sum had to be used for all types of visitors and only in 1955–56 was it possible to spend any of it specifically on journalists.
In the current financial year, 1956–57, a sum of £8,250 has been allocated for 21W Commonwealth visitors. £4,000 of this falls on the Commonwealth Services Vote and pays the visitors' fares to the United Kingdom and £4,250 on the Central Office of Information Vote to pay expenses in this country. In accordance with the recommendation of the Drogheda Report, most of this money has been spent on bringing here journalists from India and Pakistan; four have come from India, and it is hoped to bring two more before the financial year ends, and four from Pakistan.