46. Sir NAIRNE STEWART SANDEMANasked the Prime Minister if he will give an assurance that no steps will be taken to grant Dominion status to any part of the Empire which does not at present enjoy the same without the concurrence of the self-governing Dominions?
§ The PRIME MINISTERMy hon. Friend asked me a similar question two years ago, and I gave him the best answer I could, bearing in mind the ordinary limits of a reply to a Parliamentary question and the fact that his question raises a matter of constitutional practice, namely, that if and when any other British Possession comes under the Statute of Westminster, it will be by precisely the same machinery and precisely the same method as I he Dominions which have already come under it.
Sir N. STEWART SANDEMANAre we to understand that a part of the Empire might be given Dominion status without the other Dominions being asked or consulted?
§ The PRIME MINISTERWell, within the limits of the answer that I have given, I think that is rather unlikely, but in any event when the actual case arises it will be time to give a specific answer as to how it is to be treated.