HC Deb 25 March 1970 vol 798 cc427-8W
Mr. Stratton Mills

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why part of the Anglo-German Youth Exchange Fund is used for the Linked Towns programme.

Mr. Foley

The provision on the British Council Vote for British-German civic links is distinct from that for British-German youth exchanges. The civic links fund is used to assist exchanges of civic and administrative heads, chief education officers, youth officers and the like between linked counties, towns, districts and communities. Civic links provide among other benefits a valuable framework within which youth exchanges may be developed.

Mr. Stratton Mills

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will extend the Anglo-German Youth Exchange programme.

Mr. Foley

As stated in my Written Answer of 20th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch, (Mr. Alan Lee Williams), Her Majesty's Government intend that the present provision of £30,000 made by the British Council for British German Youth Exchanges should be increased to £50,000 in 1970–71, subject to Parliamentary approval.—{Vol. 798, c. 233–4.]

Mr. Stratton Mills

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will indicate the number of young persons exchanged between Great Britain and Germany in each of the last three years, indicating the proportion financed by Germany and the proportion financed by Great Britain.

Mr. Foley

No comprehensive central record exists of all such exchanges between Great Britain and Germany, though the number is estimated to be well over a quarter of a million.

The British Council keep records of exchanges of young persons which are supported from central Government funds. The numbers were as follows:

To Britain To Germany
1966–67 … … 4,202 4,480
1967–68 … … 4,841 5,687
1968–69 … … 4,823 4,850

Each of these visits was financed partly by the British and partly by the German side. The proportion of the financial contribution by each side varied from visit to visit, but overall the German side made the greater contribution in each of the years mentioned.