HC Deb 17 October 1968 vol 770 cc156-8W
Mr. Lubbock

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many students from developing countries starting courses in 1965, 1966 and 1967, respectively, have been assisted by his Department, and at what cost; and if he will give a breakdown of the total into the kind of courses undertaken.

Mr. Oram

The numbers both of students and of trainees who arrived from developing countries and were assisted by my Department in 1965, 1966 and 1967 are shown in my Department's publications "British Aid" June 1966, "British Aid" June 1967 and "British Aid Statistics" 1963 to 1967.

Summary tables are given below which show the subjects of study and the field of training for all these persons.

Students
Subject of Study 1965 1966 1967
Humanities 51 48 2
Education 635 696 780
Fine Arts 28 35 48
Law 38 34 54
Social Science 108 62 325
Economics 90 160 173
Natural Sciences 97 159 99
Engineering 110 162 301
Medical Science 268 282 366
Agriculture 85 96 220
Other 17 6 22
Total 1,527 1,740 2,440
Trainees
Field of Training 1965 1966 1967
Education 829 715 573
Development Planning 158 79 79
Public Administration 691 856 651
Social Services 418 314 378
Works and Communications 341 369 379
Industry and Commerce 603 578 415
Agriculture 244 182 142
Health 340 273 333
Other 297 223 246
Total 3,921 3,589 3,196

My Department's disbursements for students and trainees under its own schemes, and excluding those of the British Council (for reasons explained in Note 13 of the general introduction to the tables in "British Aid Statistics"), in the three years were £3.5 million, £3.9 million and £5.7 million respectively. It is not yet possible to divide these sums between students and trainees.

The distinction between students and trainees is that the former are persons on systematic courses of instruction in British institutions of higher education (such as universities, technical colleges and teacher training colleges) at both undergraduate and postgraduate level; while the latter are persons receiving mainly nonacademic, practical and vocational train- ing, or training through visiting tours, or attending ad hoc non-academic courses and seminars.