APPENDIX D
THE BRITISH COUNCIL
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Proposals for Expansion in Middle East 1956-59
NOTE BY BRITISH COUNCIL ON RECRUITMENT OF Staff
The British Council cannot undertake additional activities on this scale without some permanent additions to staff. If the proposals are accepted in full, the Council would need to expand its own establishment by some thirty_new London-appointed posts above the clerical grade over the next three years. (These figures do not include subsidised posts in universities, schools, &c.)
2. This raises a recruitment problem which may be summarised as follows. Immediately after the war, at the request of Her Majesty's Government, the British Council was greatly expanded. From 1951 on it was sharply contracted. The resulting dismissals of staff have naturally undermined its credit with University Appointments Boards. There has been no cadet recruitment to the British Council for six years. Before cadet recruitment to the British Council can be resumed it will be necessary for Ministers to approve proposals designed to enable the British Council to state unequivocally that it is a permanent service. Proposals to this end were contained in a letter from the Foreign Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer dated 6th July, 1955.
3. Temporary recruitment would not produce the kind of candidates who would be good representatives of this country overseas, and the British Council would be unwilling to take on additional work on this basis.
4. The only other method of producing the necessary staff would be to close down in a considerable number of other countries. Experience has shown that to withdraw the British Council after it has started in a country does serious damage to good will. The Foreign Office is unable to recommend countries to be eliminated.
5. In practice therefore the only solution to the problem of staff is to enable the British Council to undertake permanent recruitment. It is accordingly recommended that an early decision should be given on the proposals contained in the Foreign Secretary's letter of 6th July, 1955.
APPENDIX E
THE BRITISH COUNCIL
Proposals for Reception and Care of Students from Middle East in United Kingdom
A plan for extending the Council's welfare work for Commonwealth and foreign (including Middle Eastern) students in the United Kingdom has been approved in principle. It includes the purchase of a building for a new student centre in London for £107,000 non-recurrent and an annual cost of the whole scheme of £23,000 recurrent. The only really suitable building which has so far been found turns out to cost about £160,000 non-recurrent and to raise the annual cost of the whole scheme to £28,000 recurrent; the project is hanging fire partly because of the increase in costs but mainly because of the objection to laying out the large capital sum involved in repairing the particular building in view. There is a possibility that another, less suitable, building may become available at an annual rent of about £20,000.
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