Commonwealth Institute (Hansard, 28 November 1994)

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the formal relationship between the Commonwealth Institute and the Commonwealth Institute in Scotland.

§ Mr. Baldry
The Imperial Institute Act 1925 and the Commonwealth Institute Act 1958, as amended, established and deal with one statutory organisation, the Commonwealth Institute. The Commonwealth Institute, Scotland was constituted by the board of governors of the Commonwealth Institute. It has no separate legal status or personality. The chairman of the Commonwealth Institute, Scotland is a member of the board of governors of the Commonwealth Institute.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the proposals that have been made to him by the Commonwealth Institute for the continuation of the Commonwealth Institute in Scotland.
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§ Mr. Baldry
The chairman of the institute, Scotland is in close contact with the board of governors of the Commonwealth Institute on which assessors, appointed by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, represent Government Departments, and is pursuing solutions for the future. He is also exploring the possibilities of maintaining the Scottish Institute's programmes in collaboration with other organisations in Scotland.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the continued funding of the Commonwealth Institute by his Department and the conditions for that funding.

§ Mr. Baldry
My noble Friend the Baroness Chalker of Wallasey informed the then acting chairman of the Commonwealth Institute on 12 July 1994 that the Government are prepared to make available £1 million for the financial year 1996–97, £800,000 for 1997–98 and £600,000 for 1998–99. The offer is conditional upon the institute submitting by 16 July 1995 a business plan and a building plan for assessment by independent consultants, and for approval by Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who owns the premises used by the Commonwealth Institute in Scotland; and what contribution is made by public funds to the building and the provision of services by the Commonwealth Institute in Scotland.

§ Mr. Baldry
The trustees of the Commonwealth Institute are empowered to hold the assets of the institute. The Commonwealth Institute, Scotland receives a grant in aid of £215,000 per annum.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about the continued operation of the work of the Commonwealth Institute in Scotland.

§ Mr. Baldry
On 28 April 1994, the chairman of the Commonwealth Institute, Scotland requested that the Government provide an annual core grant of £116,000 after March 1996. The chairman has submitted a plan to the board of governors of the institute for keeping the body in being after 1996.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions or contacts have taken place between his Department and the Commonwealth Institute in Scotland about its continued existence and funding by his Department.

§ Mr. Baldry
My noble Friend the Baroness Chalker of Wallasey informed the chairman of the Commonwealth Institute, Scotland on 12 July 1994 that the Government could not meet his request for an annual grant after 1996. However, a grant of £24 million would be made available to the parent body in London for the period 1996 to 1999 to assist the relaunch plan. There would be no objection from Government to the Commonwealth Institute, Scotland requesting the board of the institute in London to make available post-1996 a proportion of its funding.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policy options he is currently considering about the future of the Commonwealth Institute in Scotland.

§ Mr. Baldry
None. The chairman of the Commonwealth Institute, Scotland is currently exploring the possibilities of maintaining the Scottish Institute's504W programmes in collaboration with other organisations in Scotland.