HC Deb 11 December 1963 vol 686 cc98-100W
Mr. Longden

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what progress has been made in implementing the recommendations of the Bridges Committee following the publication of Command Paper 2099 of 1963; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Carr

Yes. Since the publication of Command Paper 2099 at the end of July action has been taken as follows under the main recommendations of the Bridges Committee:

Contribution to Training Overseas

  1. (a) Overseas service by British officials
    • An inter-Departmental working party with local authority representation has been set up to investigate problems likely to be involved in the overseas secondment of British local government officers. It is hoped that it will report in the early months of next year.
  2. (b) Overseas service by British university teachers
    • One teacher has already been engaged by a British university, with financial support from my Department, for work in Northern Rhodesia; and requests for several other teachers under this arrangement are expected.
  3. (c) Orientation course
    • At the end of November the D.T.C. held a short orientation course for British teachers and others going out to East Africa; other such courses are expected to follow.

Contribution to Training in the United Kingdom

  1. (a) Course for instructors from overseas countries
    • Agreement in principle has been reached with the Royal Institute of Public Administra- 99 tion on a course for instructors from overseas countries (to which British instructors might also be admitted); it is hoped that the course will be held for the first time next year.
  2. b) Special institution for top-level training in administration
    • My Department is investigating this as recommended by the Bridges Committee.
  3. (c) Publication of an accessions list of documents
    • A monthly accessions list of official Commonwealth documents, to be issued by the joint C.R.O./C.O./D.T.C. Library, will begin next January.
  4. (d) Information centre connected with visits and attachments
    • An information centre at which overseas trainees on visits and attachments may do preliminary reading under guidance is being set up by the Royal Institute of Public Administration with financial support from the D.T.C. and will be in operation early next year.
  5. (e) Underwriting of courses against losses
    • One application from a British university for a financial guarantee from the D.T.C., to enable it to mount a special overseas course has been approved; another is under negotiation; and several more applications are expected.

Improvements in the Organisation of Training

  1. (a) Co-ordinating Unit
    • A D.T.C./British Council Co-ordinating Unit has been set up and has held regular meetings to deal with many matters arising from the recommendations of the Bridges Committee.
  2. (b) Advisory Council
    • An Advisory Council for Training in Public Administration has been set up, under the chairmanship of Sir John Maud, Master of University College, Oxford, and will hold its first meeting this month. The other members are:

Deputy Chairman:

Sir Richard Ramage.

Members:

Dr. W. S. Barry, British European Airways.

Sir George Cartland, Birmingham University.

Mr. William Clark, Overseas Development Institute.

Professor G. L. Goodwin, London School of Economics and Political Science.

Mr. Richard Hayward, Civil Service National Whitley Council (Staff Side).

Mrs. U. K. Hicks, Oxford University.

Mr. Guy Hunter, Institute of Race Relations.

Mr. Dudley Lofts, Local Government Examinations Board.

Miss Eleanor Macdonald, United Africa Co., Ltd.

Professor W. J. M. Mackenzie, University of Manchester.

Mr. J. P. Martin-Bates, Administrative Staff College, Henley.

Mr. A. L. P. Norrington, President of Trinity College, Oxford; Chairman,

Advisory Committee on the Selection of Low-priced Books for Overseas.

Mr. Raymond Nottage, Royal Institute of Public Administration.

Mr. S. P. Osmond, H.M. Treasury.

Professor T. T. Paterson, Royal College of Science and Technology, Glasgow.

Mr. J. W. Platt, Shell Petroleum Co. Ltd.

Professor E. E. Rich, Master of St. Catherine's College, Cambridge.

Mr. S. S. Richardson, Abmadu Bello University, Northern Nigeria.

Mr. C. J. Ritchie, British Council.

Mr. P. Rogers, Department of Technical Co-operation.

Mr. W. S. Steer, University of Exeter.

Mr. J. C. Swaffield, Association of Municipal Corporations.

Mr. G. N. C. Swift, County Clerk, Cumberland