§ 35. Miss WILKINSONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the, fact that the question of the nationality of British women married to alien; has been postponed pending the Report of the committee of experts, he will state whether that committee has ever met since its appointment; when it is proposed that it should meet; and whether he can give any assurance that His Majesty's Government will take steps to expedite the work of the committee?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. Amery)I have been asked to reply to this question. The committee of experts to which my right hon. Friend referred in his statement on March 7th is the proposed committee referred to on page 18 of the Summary of Proceedings of the Imperial Conference, 1926 (Cmd. 2768). A number of important questions will be considered 981 by this committee, and as explained by my right hon. Friend in his statement much work has already been done to prepare the way for it; but it has not yet been possible to fix a date for its assembly.
Active steps are however being taken in consultation with His Majesty's Governments in the Dominions with a view to the assembling of the committee as early as may be practicable.
§ Miss WILKINSONDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that his right hon. Friend gave me the impression that the Government were behind this idea, whereas this committee of experts has, in fact, been a good way of shelving the whole thing? Are we to understand that the expert committee is to continue to be a screen for shelving the matter?
§ Miss WILKINSONAre we to understand that absolute unanimity must be obtained before the committee can report favourably?
§ Mr. AMERYGenerally speaking, in matters before the Imperial Conference the decisions have to be unanimous before we can act. I would not like to give a specific assurance on that point now.