37. Mr. David Adamsasked the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement regarding the composition of the Executive Council in the proposed British Guiana Constitution; and whether he will reconsider the official proposal that membership of the Executive Council should not necessarily be limited to members of the legislature, in view of the constitutional difficulties likely to arise from insufficient contact between the executive and legislative bodies and in order to inaugurate the beginnings of responsible government?
§ Mr. George HallThe Executive Council will consist of the Governor and a certain number of official and unofficial members. As regards the second part of the Question, the proposal follows the more usual practice whereby selection of members of the Executive Council is not necessarily limited to members of the Legislature. It is considered that this proposal is desirable in order to avoid serious inconvenience. It is contemplated that there will still be unofficial members of the Legislative Council appointed to the Executive Council. The proposed changes are now before the Legislative Council of the Colony.
Mr. AdamsDoes not my hon. Friend fully recognise the danger of separating the executive from the legislative members?
§ Mr. HallIt is deemed necessary to have certain unofficial members, particularly as the official membership on the Council is reduced to three.