HC Deb 04 May 1995 vol 259 cc265-7W
Mrs. Ray Michie

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the success of the educational low-priced book scheme in furthering the education and training of students in developing countries. [22150]

Mr. Baldry

A review of the educational low-priced books scheme in 1994 revealed that about a third of books sold under ELBS went to prosperous countries, including Hong Kong, Malaysia and Turkey. Our assessment is that the scheme is not reaching poorer students in the poorest countries who cannot afford to buy books and therefore is not able to further the education and training of many students in developing countries.

Mrs. Ray Michie

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what was the result of the review of the educational low-priced book scheme; and if he will list those who were consulted during the review; [22153]

(2) what measures he intends to take to ensure that the work of the educational low-priced book scheme is maintained and adequately funded; and if he will make a statement. [22155]

Mr. Baldry

The educational low-priced book scheme is being phased out over two years. During this period,

  1. 1. An annual compensation payment/pension based on l/80th of pensionable pay multiplied by the length of reckonable service. The reckonable service will usually include an enhancement of up to 6 2/3 years.
  2. 2. A lump sum of three times the pension.
  3. 3. A lump sum compensation payment of up to six months salary.
  4. 4. Pay in lieu of notice of up to six months salary.

Flexible early retirement does not include the third and fourth elements listed above.

The figures below cover the Cabinet Office—including the OPSS and its agencies—HMSO, and the COL There have been four compulsory early retirements and one flexible early retirement on limited efficiency grounds in the past five financial years.

new strategies will be developed to achieve improved targeting and access to key text books and other essential learning materials for poorer students in the poorest countries, in pursuit of our developmental objectives.

The Publishers Association, publishing houses, the administrators of the scheme—International Book Development Ltd.—the British Council, ODA programme managers, ODA professional advisory groups and overseas students studying in the UK were consulted during the course of the review.

Mrs. Ray Michie

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the educational low-priced book scheme operational budget for 1994; how this is distributed; and how many administrative staff are involved. [22154]

Mr. Baldry

The total budget in the financial year 1994–95 was £1.53 million, including £0.2 million for administration. International Book Development Ltd. administer the scheme under contract to ODA.

Details of sales by region, country and subject coverage from 1985 to 1993 will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses shortly.

Mrs Ray Michie

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list(a) the overseas countries, (b) the number of students and (c) the number of further educational establishments to have benefited from the educational low-priced book scheme. [22152]

Mr. Baldry

The educational low-priced books scheme has been available in the following countriesAfrica—Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi. Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Asia—Bangladesh, Bhutan, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, The Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Phillipines, Sri Lanka, Thailand. Pacific—Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, Western Samoa. Caribbean and Atlantic—Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago. Mediterranean and Near East—Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Turkey.

Under the scheme, books are sold through local commercial outlets. There is thus no central record of the number of students who have purchased books or which further education establishments may have benefited from the scheme.

Mrs. Ray Michie

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what criteria he judges the value of the educational low-price book scheme in the sphere of higher education and vocational training in the developing world. [22149]

Mr. Baldry

The value of the educational low-priced books scheme is assessed against our normal developmental criteria. Our aim is to provide support for education for the poorer students in the poorest countries in the best targeted and most cost-effective way.

Mrs. Ray Michie

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the discontinuation of the educational low-priced hook scheme on overseas students from developing countries who sit examinations set by the royal colleges. [22151]

Mr. Baldry

Phasing out the educational low-priced books scheme should not prevent developing country students who sit examinations set by the royal colleges from purchasing key text books. Text books provided under the scheme are predominately undergraduate rather than postgraduate. Since the books are sold through commercial outlets, the scheme cannot be targeted on specific groups of students. We intend to introduce a new strategy aimed at the needs of the poorer students in the poorest countries and which will not subsidise those students or others who can afford to pay the full price for books.