§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state what progress has been made since the signing of the Helsinki agreement regarding the recommendation of Basket III co-operation and exchange in the field of culture, with particular regard to exchanges between those signatory countries in the Soviet bloc and those not.
§ Mr. LuardA number of recommendations and provisions of this section of the Final Act have been reflected in bi-lateral cultural agreements between the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries and those of the West. So far as the United Kingdom is concerned, the Government have made additional funds available to expand cultural activities by such means as ensuring a substantial British presence at the forthcoming Moscow Book Fair; assisting projects initiated by non-governmental organisations dealing with East-West exchanges; establishing a Visiting Arts Unit to facilitate the placing of foreign exhibitions and manifestations generally in this country; encouraging direct exchanges between museum directors in the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union.
§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state what steps have been taken with reference to Basket III, co-operation and exchange in the field of education, of the Helsinki agreement, to implement the recommendation in that section.
§ Mr. LuardA number of recommendations and provisions of the Final Act have been reflected in bilateral cultural agreements between the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries and those of the West. Many of the signatory States, including those in Eastern Europe, have shown particular interest in the educational section of the 525W Final Act. So far as the United Kingdom is concerned, the British Council, with financial support from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has extended to Eastern Europe the academic links and interchange schemes which it operates in Western Europe, and this has facilitated the establishment of 32 departmental links and the funding of 23 visits of individual scholars. Additional funds have been made available for seminars in adult education with Hungary and Czechslovakia and for interlending between national libraries in the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union. Funds have also been provided to secure the
Weight Value (lbs.) (HK$) January-December 1976 Unworked raw ivory … … … … … 1,585,388 113,080,204 Worked ivory and ivory articles … … … … … No estimate available 13,496,874 Weight Value (lbs.) (HK$)
January-March 1977 Unworked raw ivory … … … … … 289,103 27,526,683 Worked ivory and ivory articles … … … … … No estimate available 1,745,686