§ 27. Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his current policy towards sporting links with South Africa.
§ Mr. AtkinsWe have worked with interested parties in South Africa, the Commonwealth, the European Community and the sports world to further our policy of encouraging contacts on a sport by sport basis with those sports which have a unified and non-racial structure. I myself have recently discussed sporting links with, among others, representatives of the African National Congress, the South African Football Association, the United Cricket Board of South Africa, the International Cricket Council and the Test and County Cricket Board. In addition my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has been in touch with Commonwealth heads of Government, in particular to discuss cricket in South Africa, before the meeting of the International Cricket Council in London on 11 to 13 July. He also hosted a reception for International Cricket Council members.
488WSporting bodies have welcomed this policy which is in line with that of our Commonwealth and Community partners. The Government warmly welcome the recent decisions on renewing sporting links with South Africa taken by the International Olympic Committee and the International Cricket Council. We hope that sporting contact will resume for integrated sports as soon as possible.
The Government have also taken practical measures to assist the development of integrated sport in South Africa. To mark our support for the formation of the United Cricket Board of South Africa we announced in April a grant of £25,000 for sports equipment in the townships and rural areas.