asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation if he will make a statement on the future of the currency arrangements to encourage the sale of British books in Israel.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation whether he will make a statement on the present position with regard to the provisions available for the sale of publications to Israel.

The Israel Government liberalised imports of books in April last year. Our special books Agreement with them was therefore no longer needed, and was suspended at Israel's request. Increasing quantities of British books have since been imported into Israel under normal trade arrangements.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what arrangements he is making for the distribution of low-priced textbooks and the low-priced paperbacks under the official scheme in the countries of Africa.

The scheme has not yet been applied in Africa. We have concentrated the available resources in Asia where the need has been greatest.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is widespread disappointment, and indeed surprise, that this scheme is not to apply to Africa where there is an increasing flood of cheap Communist literature? Will the right hon. Gentleman look at this again and try to persuade publishers in this country to take a longer view of what are their own real interests?

I have not closed my mind to this. I do not know whether the hon. Gentleman saw the exhibition of books for tropical areas last week at London University. There was a wide range of books made on commercial lines available to Africa which go a long way to fill this gap.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what is the average pension paid through the Crown Agents to the widows of pensioners of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service and former members of the Colonial Service who retired before any post-war salary increases were granted by the employing Governments.

The average pension granted before the first post-war salary increases paid through the Crown Agents to widows of Colonial Service officers who served under the Governments of dependent territories is £249. This figure represents basic pension only and does not take account of pensions increases awarded by the various Governments concerned. I regret that I am not in a position to supply an average figure in respect of widows' pensions paid by independent Commonwealth and foreign countries.

As the widow's pension stems from an unfunded compulsory payment by the late husband, does not my right hon. Friend think that this amount is fairly small, and does not he agree that within the average there are figures as low as £72 for the High Commission Territories, and as much as £400 in respect of service under more than one Government? Does not my right hon. Friend think it possible to balance out this payment in some way?

I accept much of what my hon. Friend has said. The figure I have given is the basic figure without the increase given in many cases. It still remains a fact that in some cases Governments have not given increases that the pensioners deserve.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what is the average pension paid through the Crown Agents to pensioners of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service and former members of the Colonial Service who retired before any post-war salary increases were granted by the employing Governments.

The average basic pension paid through the Crown Agents to overseas service pensioners of dependent territories who retired before the first post-war salaries revision is £393. I regret that I am not in a position to give an average figure in respect of pensions paid by independent Commonwealth and foreign countries.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that within this figure the average for Brunei is as low as £73 whereas in North Borneo next door it is as much as £474? Is not this rather odd? Further, will he bear in mind, when any money is likely to be lent or given to countries such as Ghana or Ceylon, that they have made no effort at all to look after their ex-servants?

I agree that the average figure is most misleading, but it was my hon. Friend who chose to put the Question in this form. The latter part of his supplementary question raises wider implications, but I have noted his Motion on the Order Paper.

Is it not time that the Government looked afresh at the whole question of pensions paid to Overseas Civil Service pensioners in this country? Are not many of these pensions grossly inadequate now, and does not the right hon. Gentleman, as the Minister responsible for technical assistance, feel that he is embarrassed by the constant friction caused on these questions with the new Commonwealth countries?

I accept that there is a problem here, but, of course, there are advantages and disadvantages in the present system which has been an established part of pensions policy under many Governments for many years. It is the policy that overseas Governments who pay the salaries pay the pensions of those who retire.

How many times has my right hon. Friend been to the Chancellor of the Exchequer demanding that something be done for these people? How often must democracy make itself vocal on the matter before the Executive can act?

I can easily answer that. I have only just taken over responsibility for this matter, and the answer is, therefore, "None".

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation if he

The pensions of retired members of the overseas services are not increasable under the United Kingdom Pensions (Increase) Acts.

Will my right hon. Friend publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT all the figures in the table which he sent to me? Further, after he has had a chance of studying them, when will he go to the Treasury?

I can arrange for those figures to be published. On the latter part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question, I want to give further consideration to this whole problem.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what help Her Majesty's Government is giving to the Centre for Educational Television Overseas; and what progress is being made by the Centre.

Her Majesty's Government are contributing £100,000 over five years.

The Centre, which was established only last December, is not a Government organisation and has not yet published a report. I understand that it has been busy recruiting staff and installing equipment, making closed circuit experiments and reviewing existing film material. It is hoped that production of new programmes will begin next month.

This is an entirely admirable project which demands the fullest support of the Government. Can the Minister say what help is being given by way of the provision of television sets for schools overseas and whether any initiative has been made to produce a special service television set for this purpose?

I am glad to hear the hon. Gentleman's opening remarks about the Centre, in which the Government are a most enthusiastic partner. I am a little doubtful whether the provision of receivers comes within the scope of the Centre, but I have noted the hon. Gentleman's question.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what progress has now been made in producing television films for teaching English overseas.

The British Council's experimental work has gone far enough to show that the main need is now financial. The 1962–63 Estimates do not make the substantial provision which might be involved, but experimental work is continuing, and I propose to consult further with the interested bodies.

A great deal of time has been spent in producing far too few films of very inferior quality. Will the right hon. Gentleman make quite sure that there are not too many authorities in this work and knock together the heads of those concerned to get some progress?

It is true that some of the material produced has been of unsatisfactory quality. I have said that I propose to consult further with the interested bodies and I propose to bring them together to see whether we can make more progress in what I regard as an important field.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what arrangements exist for consultation between his Department and other Departments about the United Kingdom's policy towards United Nations agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation; and to what extent his department is responsible for policy decisions relating to these agencies.

My Department keeps in close touch with other Departments about the technical assistance activities and programmes of the United Nations and the Specialised Agencies. Policy decisions are arrived at through the normal method of inter-departmental consultation.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that when I raised the question of the world food programme recently it was dealt with at Question Time by the Minister of Agriculture, and when I raised it on the Adjournment it was put down first as a Treasury subject and then transferred to the Foreign Office? Does not all this transferring of subjects mean that the right hon. Gentle man's responsibility in these matters is not properly carried out and that the dead hand of the Treasury is much too powerful?

No, I do not think so. I read the hon. Gentleman's speech about this subject on the Adjournment Motion. There is very close consultation between the Departments concerned, and I have no reason to believe that the correct decisions are not reached.