HC Deb 15 March 1944 vol 398 cc224-5
26 and 28. Sir Alfred Beit

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether grants under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, 1940, can exceed £5,000,000 in any one year if in any previous year, or years, they have fallen below that figure;

(2) how it is intended that schemes which have been approved under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, but not put into effect owing to war-time difficulties, shall be carried out, in view of the fact that unspent balances cannot be carried forward.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Colonel Oliver Stanley)

The Colonial Development and Welfare Act provides for expenditure on schemes for Colonial development and welfare up to a maximum of £5,000,000 in any financial year. Money not spent in any year cannot be carried forward, but can be reprovided in the subsequent year; of course, within the maximum limit. The statement of policy (Cmd. 6175) expressly stated that during the war it could not be expected that expenditure would reach the limit, but it also said that the limit would be subject to review and could be increased by Parliament. I can give an assurance to the House that a review will be undertaken before there is any likelihood of the annual expenditure reaching the maximum figure. Such a review would include not only the point raised in the Question, but the general adequacy of the provisions of the Act in the light of the experience gained since 1940 of the post-war requirements of the Colonies.

Sir A. Beit

Does not that mean that it will be necessary to raise the maximum, in view of the fact that the Act expires in 1950, and that under present arrangements it will not have achieved what it was set up to do?

Colonel Stanley

I stated in the House, in the Debate last spring, that, according to the experience gained in the last few years, it would seem that the maximum laid down under the Act was going to be inadequate for present requirements.

42. Mr. G. Strauss

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what expenditure under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act has been approved; and how much has been spent on Africa as a whole, the East African territories and Northern Rhodesia in particular.

Colonel Stanley

As the reply necessarily contains a number of figures, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Strauss

Does the Minister contemplate sending out a mission under the Development and Welfare Act, as the amount of money spent in these territories so far has been very small indeed?

Colonel Stanley

No, I do not think that is the way to proceed. During my tour through these territories, I spent much time trying to see that appropriate machinery was set up in each Colony in order to prepare the plans. I do not believe that bodies in this country can really prepare detailed plans for a Colony of which they have no acquaintanceship.

Mr. Strauss

Has not this action in the West Indies been very successful?

Following is the statement:

The total of commitments up to date under schemes approved under the Act is £7,590,995. The total of commitments in respect of till African territories is £2,058,957, of which £458,834 have actually been issued. The total of commitments in respect of East African territories is £413,238, of which £117,290 have been issued, and of Northern Rhodesia is £3,000, the whole of which has been issued.