§ 28. Captain Cobbasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Ministers in Ceylon have yet formulated draft proposals for constitutional reform; and, if so, what action His Majesty's Government propose to take.
§ 32. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has any statement to make, or will give particulars respecting the future Constitution of Ceylon.
§ Colonel StanleyA draft scheme has been submitted by the Board of Ministers in Ceylon and His Majesty's Government have decided to appoint a Commission which will, it is hoped, visit Ceylon at the end of the year to examine their scheme. His Majesty's Government have accordingly authorised the Governor of Ceylon to communicate to Ministers a further statement by His Majesty's Government the text of which I will with the hon. Member's permission, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. SorensenHas there been any preliminary discussion with representative Ceylonese on this matter?
§ Colonel StanleyNot on this matter.
§ Mr. SorensenIs the right description of the inhabitants of Ceylon Sinhalese or Ceylonese?
§ Colonel StanleyPerhaps the hon. Gentleman will put that Question down.
§ Sir Herbert WilliamsWill the commissioners consist of Members of both Houses or of officials?
§ Following is the statement:
§ In their Declaration of 1943, on the subject of the reform of the Ceylon Constitution, His Majesty's Government invited the Ceylon Ministers to submit proposals for a new Constitution, and promised that once victory was achieved such detailed proposals as the Ministers might in the meantime have been able to formulate in the way of a complete constitutional scheme would be examined by a Commission or Conference. Ministers have now submitted their draft scheme, with an urgent request that arrangements may be made for its examination at an earlier date than that contemplated in the Declaration.
§ His Majesty's Government have accordingly decided to appoint a Commission to examine the Ministers' proposals, which would visit Ceylon for this purpose towards the end of the present year. The adoption of this course does not entail in other respects any modification of the Declaration by His Majesty's Government in regard to the eventual approval by His Majesty's Government of any new Constitution. It is the intention of His Majesty's Government that the appointment of the Commission should provide full opportunity for consultation to take place with the various interests, including the minority communities, concerned with the subject of constitutional reform in Ceylon and with the proposals which Ministers have formulated.
§ Further, in accordance with the object, already declared, of avoiding a General Election in Ceylon during the war, with consequent dislocation of Ceylon's war effort, the Ceylon (State Council) Order in Council, 1931, will be amended so as to prolong the life of the existing State Council for a further period of two years.