HC Deb 21 January 1964 vol 687 cc109-11W
Mr. Biggs-Davison

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation whether he will publish figures showing the numbers and categories of experts, technicians and teachers from the United Kingdom, including those giving voluntary service, employed in various Commonwealth and other developing coun- tries; and how these compare with those provided by other nations.

Mr. Carr

The numbers of experts from the United Kingdom, paid in whole or part from public funds, at work on 31st December, 1962, in developing countries are shown in the Table. Following recommendations made by a Working Party of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, a distinction is made between Advisers and Operational Personnel. The categories under each head are those which have been proposed for making international comparisons, although these are not yet possible since other countries have not completed the necessary statistical arrangements. The Table does not cover volunteers and U.K. experts employed by the United Nations and Specialised Agencies.

Volunteers are also selected and sent overseas by voluntary societies receiving a substantial contribution towards their expenses from my Department. The number of such volunteers working overseas in 1962 was 296 and in 1963, 575. This year it is planned to raise the number to 850.

The number of U.K. experts employed by the United Nations and Specialised Agencies at 1st July, 1963, was 558. This was more than from any other country.

Figures for British experts financed in other ways are not available.

TABLE
U.K. Publicity Financed Experts Working in Developing Countries on 31si Decemeber, 1962
Advisers(a)
Education 7
Public Administration etc. (b) 18
Agriculture 8
Industry and Technology 55
Health and Sanitation 12
Total 100
Operational Personnel
Teachers(c) 2,000
Public Administration(b) 7,153
Agriculture 1,821
Industry and Technology 2,804
Health and Sanitation 1,405
Other 513
Total 15,696
(a) Excluding 26 Advisers on missions of a few days or weeks during 1962.

(b) Including also Economic, Financial and Secretarial Services but, under Operational Personnel, excluding Education Administrators.
(c) Including Education Administrators and a few persons not teachers in British Council Institutes.