asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the accommodation provided for the British Council in Prague, Brno, and Bratislava, of the lectures being given, of the exhibitions of English life and culture, of the libraries and of the summer school; and to what extent similar accommodation and facilities are provided for any other Government in this country.

The British Council maintains British Institutes in Prague, Brno and Bratislava. The premises in all these three places have been rented from private owners in the usual manner. The Council's activities include instruction in the English language and literature, an annual summer school for Czech teachers of English, lectures by resident staff and by visiting British lecturers, and the maintenance of libraries. The exhibitions have included such subjects as nursery schools, coalmining, shipbuilding, town planning and child welfare.

In London ten foreign governments similarly rent premises for institutes, which are free to pursue activities of the same kinds and the Czechoslovak Government have for some years maintained an Institute here.

Is it not the case that in Prague, Brno, Bratislava and in Czechoslovakia generally, far, far greater activities are carried on in the way of circulating libraries, summer schools, lectures and all the rest of it than are carried on by any Government in this country? That being so, how can the hon. Gentleman continue his miserable, stupid twaddle about an iron curtain, when the Czechoslovak people know more about England than the English people know about Czechoslovakia?

There may be more activity of this kind in Prague than in London, but the restrictions in London are very much less than they are in Prague.

I never heard the like of that.