HC Deb 15 February 1939 vol 343 cc1723-4
69. Mr. Creech Jones

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he proposes to publish the report of the Committee on Nutrition in Northern Rhodesia set up in 1936?

Mr. M. MacDonald

The report was published last year by the Government of Northern Rhodesia, and copies are on sale at the office of the Crown Agents for the Colonies.

70. Mr. Creech Jones

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken since the publication of the Pim and Orde-Brown Reports on Northern Rhodesian affairs, to implement their recommendations?

Mr. MacDonald

As the answer is a long one, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Paling

Is anything being done about the alarming state of things which is reported in connection with the entire absence of medical supplies in half the Continent?

Mr. MacDonald

Yes, Sir. Provision for this is included in connection with the general extension which is to take place in the social services.

Following is the answer:

The social services, whose inadequacy was criticised by the Financial Commission, are to be greatly expanded in the next five years as part of a general programme of development to be begun at once. Recurrent and special expenditure is estimated to increase from £1,161,305 in 1939 to £1,347,247 in 1943. These totals of expenditure are considerably more than those contemplated by Sir Alan Pim. It is also intended to spend some £500,000 on public works extraordinary in the five-year period, and, in addition, comprehensive schemes of water development and soil conservation are to be submitted, among others, to the Colonial Development Advisory Committee.

The recommendations in the report of Major Orde Browne in regard to labour conditions in the territory, which are subsequent in date to those of the Financial Commission, have also been taken into account in the preparation of the five-year plan drawn up by the Government of Northern Rhodesia. Steps are being taken to implement his proposals for the amelioration of labour conditions, and I am at the moment awaiting a report from the Governor on the result of two meetings on labour matters. The first was to be with the mine managers in Northern Rhodesia in connection with internal labour questions, including recruiting and transport facilities. The second was recently held at Salisbury with representatives of the Governments of Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland for the purpose of considering the inter-territorial labour situation.

I am waiting until I am aware of the recommendations in the Report of the Royal Commission on closer cooperation and association between the Rhodesias and Nyasaland, which I understand, will shortly be available, before finally approving the details of the proposed labour organisation in Northern Rhodesia, part of which has already been established.

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