§ Mr. Malcolm MacPhersonasked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations, with reference to the meeting of representatives of Commonwealth Governments which was held in London in October, 1959, to decide on the form of the permanent machinery recommended by the Commonwealth Education Conference, what representatives attended; from which countries; and what decisions were reached.
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§ Mr. AlportIn accordance with the recommendations of the Commonwealth Education Conference held in Oxford last July, representatives of all the member countries in the Commonwealth attended a meeting in London on 27th October under the chairmanship of Sir Henry Lintott, Deputy Under-Secretary in the Commonwealth Relations Office. A member of the Colonial Office represented the Colonial Territories.
The plan is that a Commonwealth Education Liaison Committee should be set up, to be composed of one representative of each member country of the Commonwealth and of Nigeria. In addition, the United Kingdom would appoint a member to represent the other Colonial Territories. This Committee would follow up and record progress on the schemes of assistance agreed at the Oxford Conference and would also consider suggestions for further improving Commonwealth co-operation in education. It would, in particular, prepare material for submission to the next Commonwealth Education Conference in 1961. Sir Philip Morris, Vice-Chancellor of Bristol University, who was Chairman of the Oxford Conference, has agreed to be Chairman of the Commonwealth Education Liaison Committee.
Under the general direction of the Liaison Committee there would be a Commonwealth Education Liaison Unit which would, initially, consist of a Director (who would also be Secretary to the Committee) and one administrative assistant.
The Unit would supplement normal direct dealings between the countries of the Commonwealth on education, it would deal on request with inquiries from education authorities in Commonwealth countries and generally act as a centre of reference.
The cost of the Unit would be shared between the member countries of the Commonwealth.
The representative of India at the October meeting, extended an invitation from his Government to all Commonwealth Governments to hold the next Commonwealth Education Conference in India in the winter of 1961–62. The United Kingdom Government is happy to accept this invitation.