HC Deb 20 January 1997 vol 288 cc444-5W
Mrs. Clwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasion the British Council has provided or facilitated training for the Indonesian paramilitary or police personnel(a) in Indonesia and (b) in the United Kingdom; and if he will list the cost and content of such training and what proposals there are for future support. [10707]

Mr. Hanley

The British Council has provided or facilitated training for Indonesian police personnel, in Indonesia and in the United Kingdom, under non-aid-funded arrangements, in addition to its involvement, on behalf of the Overseas Development Administration, in the national police management training project in Indonesia. Details of the latter have been provided to the hon. Lady and to the hon. Member for Cardiff, Central (Mr. Jones) in earlier replies on 8 February 1995,Official Report, columns 294–95, 3 March 1995, Official Report, column 727,12 July 1995, Official Report, columns 609–12, and 16 May 1996, Official Report, columns 522–26.

The British Council in Indonesia has provided English language training to prepare police personnel for training in Britain. This language training has been funded under the Chevening awards scheme by the diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The number of police trainees and associated costs over the past five years, and estimated figures for the coming financial year, are as follows:

Year Trainees Cost (£)
1992–93 1 1,000
1996–97 2 2,000
1997–98 1 1,500

Figures in respect of training arranged by the British Council in the United Kingdom for these Indonesian police personnel, all under the Chevening awards scheme, are as follows:

Year Trainees Cost (£)
1992–93 1 12,000
1996–97 2 29,000
1997–98 1 15,000

The four students listed have followed, or will follow, courses in police studies, business administration, banking and finance, and traffic studies.

In 1993–94 and 1994–95 the British Council also provided English language training in Jakarta to two groups of 15 traffic police. This was fully funded under the auspices of a World bank project managed by a British consultancy company.

The British Council has not provided for facilitated training for Indonesian paramilitary organisations.