HC Deb 12 March 1975 vol 888 c146W
Mr. MacFarquhar

asked the Minister of Overseas Development (1) how many teachers of English have been sent abroad to developing countries in each of the years 1964, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, and 1974 ; and, from international sources available to her, how these figures compare with teachers of French sent to developing countries by France in the same years ;

(2) to which developing countries were teachers of English sent in each of the years 1964, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974 ; and how many were sent to each country.

Mrs. Hart

The numbers of people engaged during the years in question in teaching in developing countries—including volunteers serving under the auspices of the British Volunteer Programme—who were wholly or partially financed from British aid funds, were as follows :

1964 2,673
1970 7,491
1971 7,253
1972 7,392
1973 6,878
1974 Not yet available

They served in more than 120 countries. I will send my hon. Friend a detailed list.

I regret that our statistics do not readily show how many of these teach English. Many teachers teach more than one subject of which one may often be English. However, the numbers engaged on my behalf by the British Council specifically for teaching English were :

1964 29
1970 206
1971 234
1972 190
1973 197
1974 197

Statistics issued by the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD show the following numbers of French teachers serving in developing countries. It is not known how many were teachers in French.

1964 27,017
1970 24,777
1971 23,645
1972 22,367
1973 21,735
1974 Not available