§ 39. Mr. Shinwellasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he intends to make a statement on the Government's plan for the further development of industry and agriculture in the West Indies; and what additional shipping facilities are contemplated.
§ Mr. LytteltonI made statements about Jamaica and British Honduras in reply to Questions by the hon. Member for Wandsworth, Central (Mr. Adams) and the hon. Member for Gravesend (Sir R. Acland) on 26th March and 7th May, respectively. Information about the other territories will be found in my Annual Report to Parliament (Command 8553), in the Report on British Dependencies in the Caribbean and North Atlantic (Command 8575), and in the Annual Report for 1951 of the Comptroller for Development and Welfare in the West Indies, a copy of which is in the Library. I cannot yet add anything to the reply about shipping facilities which I gave to the right hon. Member on 25th June.
§ Mr. ShinwellWill the right hon. Gentleman not agree that the shipping facilities are very inadequate and that the provision for transport at sea is being left largely to other countries and shipping concerns, and will he give this matter his urgent attention?
§ Mr. LytteltonI can assure the right hon. Gentleman that I am very anxious on this subject. A firm of British shipowners will be making a survey of the West Indies at the end of this month, and the local governments have been asked to provide them with every facility.