asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies whether the recent offer by Her Majesty's Government to help finance the University of Rhodesia and Nyasaland makes provision for assisting the proposed new teaching hospital and medical school in Salisbury.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies whether he will now make a statement about the outcome of the recent conference in Salisbury relating to the future of the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and the associated teaching hospital.

I would refer the hon. Members to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) on 21st April.

Does the Secretary of State realise that this does not lead us very much further forward? Would he give us an assurance that the Government will be concerned about the medical school in particular, because this is a matter of very great concern in this Territory, and this university is perhaps one of the last vestiges of the reasons which made the establishment of the Federation worth while?

That was made clear in the Answer to which I referred.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this medical school was set up under the aegis of the University of Birmingham and could award Birmingham degrees, and that there is very great concern in the University of Birmingham that this very important development is now likely to fail because of the want of a relatively small amount of money over a limited interim period? Will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that it will not fail?

We recognise the importance of the college and of the medical faculty, and I have already announced that we have said that we are prepared to make a substantial contribution towards maintaining it, but the talks are not yet concluded, and so I cannot say more this afternoon.

Will not the right hon. Gentleman agree that this has a political significance, in so far as the more educated Africans there are the better opportunities there will be for them to take part in the administration in Southern Rhodesia? Would he consult the Southern Rhodesian Government to see if anything can be done to provide this kind of education?

I do not think the right hon. Gentleman understands. We are in the middle of discussions with the Government of Southern Rhodesia on this question of financing the continuance of the college.