HL Deb 21 January 1981 vol 416 c485WA
Lord Brockway

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will suggest to the British Council that they should reconsider their decision to terminate the grants to Zimbabwean students at British educational establishments in view of the serious financial demands on the newly independent state.

Lord Carrington

No such decision has been taken by the British Coundil or by the Government. Zimbabwean students who were studying in this country at the time of independence on awards made under our training programme are continuing to receive support until the completion of the courses for which their awards were given. New awards may be financed at the request of the Zimbabwe Government from the £75 million aid allocated to Zimbabwe at independence. It is now for that Government to decide how much of their own resources they can devote to training overseas, how much of our aid they ask us to devote to this, and which students they ask us to support.