asked the Minister for Overseas Development what payments and allowances are paid from his budget for the purpose of providing help to education fees for employees' children either in Great Britain or overseas; what is the latest annual cost, the numbers of parents and children benefiting, and the cost of aid for travelling expenses for such educational purposes; how these costs have been affected over the last five years by inflation and the falling £ sterling; and if he will make a statement.

If we are to succeed in recruiting and retaining British aid personnel overseas it is essential that we give them financial assistance with the education of their children since they cannot normally continue to use the free public educational facilities in this country.Education allowances and holiday visit passage arrangements for people serving overseas and financed from the aid programme follow very closely those for British civil servants serving overseas. I