Oral Answers to Questions — Southern Rhodesia – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 21 Gorffennaf 1964.
Mr Robin Turton
, Thirsk and Malton
12:00,
21 Gorffennaf 1964
asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies what offers of assistance towards secondary and technical education in Southern Rhodesia Her Majesty's Government have made since 1962.
Mr Duncan Sandys
, Wandsworth Streatham
In 1962 we provided a loan of £355,000 for African education, and we have recently made a gift of £1,850,000 for the University College in Salisbury. We have recently told the Southern Rhodesia Government that we would be willing to discuss with them the provision of assistance to accelerate the expansion of education including administrative training for Africans.
Mr Robin Turton
, Thirsk and Malton
Does my right hon. Friend appreciate that there are now 25,000 Africans who are ready for further education, that another 500 teachers are required, and that this number will rise by about 5,000 a year? Can he explain to the House why we are so parsimonious towards Southern Rhodesia and so generous to other countries in this matter of development?
Mr Duncan Sandys
, Wandsworth Streatham
As I said, we have made a proposal to assist in education. The Southern Rhodesian Government have shown interest in our proposal, and we shall be discussing the matter with them further.
Mr George Thomson
, Dundee East
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, although we are not unsympathetic to the provision of educational help for Southern Rhodesia, some of us have in mind the fact that there are other Colonial Territories for which we have a direct responsibility and in respect of which our record of educational help is not nearly adequate? Will he at least assure the House that there will be no question of providing this educational assistance in advance of his consultation with Mr. Ian Smith and before an assurance from the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia that there will be a constitutional advance towards Majority rule?
Mr Duncan Sandys
, Wandsworth Streatham
The party opposite has always told us that we should not provide aid with strings. That is what he is now proposing.
Miss Irene Ward
, Tynemouth
In respect of the grants which are given to various territories for educational advance, does my right hon. Friend agree that the education provided ought to be for both boys and girls, and men and women? Is not that very important in developing the new world?
Mr Duncan Sandys
, Wandsworth Streatham
I am not aware of any sex discrimination.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
The term "majority" is used in two ways in Parliament. Firstly a Government cannot operate effectively unless it can command a majority in the House of Commons - a majority means winning more than 50% of the votes in a division. Should a Government fail to hold the confidence of the House, it has to hold a General Election. Secondly the term can also be used in an election, where it refers to the margin which the candidate with the most votes has over the candidate coming second. To win a seat a candidate need only have a majority of 1.
