§ 3.30 p.m.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD DILHORNE)My Lords, with your Lordships' permission, I should like to make a statement on Central Africa in the same terms as my right honourable friend the First Secretary is at present making one in another place. I think it will be convenient if I use his own words, and they are as follows:
"I will, with permission, make a short statement. This is my first opportunity of informing the House about the talks on Central Africa which, as the House will be aware, were concluded last Friday afternoon. The object of these talks was to find a basis on which a conference might later be held.
"At the outset I should make it clear that Her Majesty's Government took no decision on these complex matters until all the Governments concerned had had an opportunity to put forward their views. In the light of the views expressed it was necessary for Her Majesty's Government to consider what was the best course to pursue in the interests of all concerned. Her Majesty's Government have accepted that none of the territories can be kept in the Federation against its will, and they have therefore accepted the principle that any territory which so wishes must be allowed to secede. Her Majesty's Government are convinced that this decision was essential before further progress could be made towards their declared objective of policy in Central Africa; that is to say, the evolution of an effective relationship between the territories which is acceptable to each of them.
"Because that is their objective, Her Majesty's Government have also clearly stated that they consider it necessary that before any further changes are made there should be renewed discussion in Africa not only on the transitional arrangements required, but also on the broad lines of a new relationship.
"I have this morning received a letter from the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia asking for certain assurances about the future granting of independence to Southern Rhodesia. This will require close consideration by 371 Her Majesty's Government and I cannot at present take the matter further. I will, however, keep the House informed of any developments that may occur."
That is the end of the statement.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, I should like to say, for the Opposition, that we are grateful to the noble and learned Lord for making this important statement. We are very glad indeed that the Government have now accepted this principle which we have been begging them to accept for many years, that any territory that wishes to secede from the Federation will be able to do so, which, of course, will enable Northern Rhodesia to secede from the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. We are also glad about the Government's proposal that there should be a discussion in Central Africa about transitional arrangements and future links between the territories, and we very much hope that all the African Governments concerned, including the Federal Government and the Government of Southern Rhodesia, will accept the invitation and attend the Conference.
About the final matter, the letter that has been received from the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia relating to independence, I would ask the Government whether they do not agree that it is out of the question to give Southern Rhodesia independence under its present unrepresentative Constitution, and whether such an action would not almost certainly produce a situation which would be bordering on civil war. We do not wish to debate this statement, but we may wish to debate the situation in Central Africa in the light of future developments.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, we on these Benches welcome the Government's decision, to which the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor has referred, to permit secession of the various territories from the Federation. I should like to ask the noble and learned Lord two questions: first of all, whether the Government will do all in their power to persuade the territorial Governments to agree to set up a common services organisation, so as to take over these important questions from the Federal Government; secondly, 372 whether the Government will agree to take no action on the political future of Southern Rhodesia until Parliament has had an opportunity of considering the matter.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, with regard to the latter question, which is really on the same lines as the first question put to me by the noble Earl, I do not think I can properly go beyond the statement made by my right honourable friend the First Secretary. If I may remind the House, I read out, at the end of his statement, that this request received in the letter from the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia (and here I quote):
… will require close consideration by Her Majesty's Government and I cannot at present take the matter further.Therefore, it would not be right for me to attempt to answer now either of the questions put on that topic.With regard to common services and matters of that sort, it is of course hoped that the conference which is foreshadowed in the statement will be attended by representatives of all the territories concerned and also of the Federal Government, and that then, together, they can work out the links and forms of future association and their future relationship.
§ VISCOUNT STUART OF FINDHORNMy Lords, may I ask my noble and learned friend just one question? Does this mean that the Federal Government, which I have always supported strongly—and I believe firmly in the Federation —ceases automatically, or does it continue to exist, and, if it does, for what purpose?
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, the Federal Government still continues to exist to-day and will no doubt continue to exist for some considerable time. All that the statement recognises is that Her Majesty's Government have accepted that none of the territories can be kept in the Federation against its will, and they have accepted the principle that any territory which so wishes must be allowed to secede. Accepting that, means that the territories will have an opportunity, if they so wish, of saying they wish to secede, though some time must elapse before secession can actually take effect.