HC Deb 11 April 1968 vol 762 cc288-90W
Mr. Judd

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will make a statement on the recent Commonwealth Education Conference in Lagos.

Mr. Oram

Twenty-eight Commonwealth countries were represented at Ministerial or senior official level at the Fourth Commonwealth Education Conference. Despite the difficulties, particularly economic, confronting a number the participating Governments, the conference successfully demonstrated the value of maintaining and strengthening the existing very real intra-Commonwealth educational links.

The atmosphere of good will and cordiality which pervaded the conference reflected the excellent administrative arrangements made by the Nigerian Government and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The relationship of education to economic and social development was a dominant theme of the conference. As leader of the British delegation I was able to announce a number of new initiatives includnig proposals under the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan and assistance in the teacher training and technical education fields. Canada also announced an important increase in her Commonwealth Scholarships. Eight new areas for possible action and co-operation were identified by the conference for further study by the Commonwealth Secretariat.

A full report of the conference has been published, and it is intended to issue it as soon as possible as a White Paper.

Mr. Judd

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy with regard to the Resource Group proposed at the recent Commonwealth Education Conference in Lagos.

Mr. Oram

At the Fourth Commonwealth Education Conference, the British delegation announced the intention of the British Government to set up a Technical Education Resources Group to draw upon and to focus more closely the efforts of the four Colleges of Education (Technical) in England and, it is hoped, a comparable institution in Scotland, to assist the development of technical education and technical teacher training in developing countries. There had been consultations with the colleges and their local education authorities before the conference and, in the light of the welcome given to the idea by Commonwealth Governments, it is now intended to take the matter further as quickly as possible.

Mr. Judd

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what representatives of both sides of British industry were present at the recent Commonwealth education Conference in Lagos.

Mr. Oram

It has not been customary for British industry as such to be represented at Commonwealth Education Conferences but the British delegation at Lagos included representatives of certain bodies on which both sides of industry are represented and, in particular, Mr. F. J. Pedler, in his capacity as Chairman of the Council on Technical Education and Training for Overseas Countries.

Mr. Judd

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what additional assistance will be provided by Her Majesty's Government to the Commonwealth Secretariat in response to initiatives at the recent Commonwealth Education Conference in Lagos.

Mr. Oram

The Fourth Commonwealth Education Conference agreed on a number of proposals for extending and developing Commonwealth co-operation in education which will involve some strengthening of the staff of the Education Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat. A Working Party was set up on 3rd April by the Commonwealth Education Liaison Committee to examine the Secretariat's proposals in this respect and to report to the Committee.

Meanwhile my Ministry has offered freely to lend the part-time services of two officers to assist the Commonwealth Secretariat in making preparations for the Specialist Mathematics Conference due to be held in Trinidad next September.