§ SIR WILFRID LAWSONasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies (in the absence of the First Lord of the Treasury), Whether he is in a position to name the day on which the Government will lay before the House of Commons the new policy which they propose to adopt with reference to the Gold Coast?
MR. LOWTHERSir, my hon. Friend is undoubtedly constitutionally accurate in ignoring in this House anything that occurs elsewhere; but I think I may assume that the hon. Baronet has had his attention called, through the ordinary channels of information, to the fact that a very full statement was made the other night by my noble Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies regarding the 273 future policy of the Government as regards the Gold Coast. Any statement of what the hon. Baronet calls "the new policy which the Government propose to adopt with reference to the Gold Coast" must, of necessity, I think he will see, partake of the nature of a repetition of what my noble Friend has already stated. I think, therefore, he will hardly expect that any statement of the kind indicated by the hon. Baronet should be made at present in this House. If, however, any details were omitted by my noble Friend, no time will be lost in placing them before this House.
§ SIR WILFRID LAWSONsaid, the reason why he had asked the Question was that the prime Minister had, in his place, promised that the statement should be made in both Houses of Parliament.