§ 41. Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether a summary of the conclusions of the recent conference of East African Governors regarding customs duties and railway rates has been received; whether their recommendations have received the approval of His Majesty's Government; and when the nature of the recommendations will be made public?
§ Dr. SHIELSMy Noble Friend has received a telegraphic summary of the provisional agreement reached at the conference concerning protective customs duties and preferential railway rates. Further local discussions are now taking place in regard to the conference recommendations on these matters. As has been announced in the Press, the conference also appointed an expert committee to examine in detail existing customs tariffs (excluding certain protective duties) and to recommend whether any alterations are necessary in the light of past working. My Noble Friend has not yet received the full report of the conference and no approval on the part of His Majesty's Government has been signified. He cannot say when the East African 989 Governments concerned will he in a position to make public the recommendations of the conference.