HC Deb 25 June 1952 vol 502 cc2239-42
The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Oliver Lyttelton)

With the permission of the House, I should like to make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government accept the recommendation of the Tanganyika Constitutional Development Committee that the unofficial seats on the Legislative Council should be divided equally between the three main racial groups, that is, Africans, Asians and Europeans. Asian membership should, as far as possible, be representative of all sections and interests of that racial group, which comprises several different communities, but the method of achieving that must await the report of the Special Commissioner, who is at present inquiring into the details for carrying out the Committee's proposals.

Her Majesty's Government also accept the recommendation of the Committee that the official majority in the Council should be retained.

In the opinion of Her Majesty's Government, the reconstituted Legislative Council will depend for its successful working on the experience gained in the operation of the local government bodies also proposed by the Committee. As progress is made in establishing these, changes at the centre will become more practicable. It is hoped that the reconstituted Council may be established within five years, though, like my predecessor, I do not consider that it would be in the interests of Tanganyika that it should be committed to a rigid timetable.

I should make it clear that I regard the reconstitution of the Council in accordance with these proposals as a settlement which is designed to last for a considerable period and until the time comes for the main communities in Tanganyika to consider a different system of representation. In the meantime, the basis of division of representation in the Legislature is not one susceptible of minor alterations.

In addition to announcing acceptance of the principle of equal unofficial representation of the three main racial groups on the Legislative Council, I wish to state clearly the objectives and intentions of Her Majesty's Government in the administration of Tanganyika. First, it is the intention to continue to administer the territory in accordance with the terms of the Trusteeship Agreement until the ultimate goal of self-government has been reached. Her Majesty's Government confidently hope that when that goal has been attained Tanganyika will be within the British Commonwealth. Her Majesty's Government attach importance, in the interests of the inhabitants of Tanganyika, to the maintenance and promotion of British traditions and the British connection with the territory.

Secondly, Her Majesty's Government interpret the Trusteeship Agreement and Article 76 of the United Nations Charter as imposing on the Administering Authority an obligation to provide for the full participation of all sections of the population, irrespective of race or origin, in the progressive development of political institutions and in the economic and social advancement of the territory. Each section of the population must be enabled and encouraged to play its full part in the development of the territory and its institutions in complete confidence that the rights and interests of all communities, both indigenous and immigrant, will be secured and preserved.

Mr. J. Griffiths

Is the Secretary of State aware that this statement of the decision of Her Majesty's Government is welcomed by myself, and that it will, I know, be welcomed in Tanganyika? May I join with him in paying tribute to this Constitutional Development Committee, composed of Europeans, Africans and Asians, who have given a notable example of racial co-operation and a desire to reach full racial equality—an example which other Colonies elsewhere, I hope, will follow. May I also ask the right hon. Gentleman a question? The Trusteeship Council is involved in this. Have the visiting mission made any pronouncement upon these proposals, approving, welcoming or disapproving them?

Mr. Lyttelton

I think the Trusteeship Council would only have an opportunity of commenting on the report. I have not seen any such comments. The Committee certainly did very good work and, as the House knows, it represented all the un-officials in Tanganyika of whatever race.

Mr. Sorensen

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether we are to take it that these proposals have emerged out of consultation with, and with the consent of, each of the three races concerned, and that therefore the proposals now go forward with the consent of those who are now to be included?

Mr. Lyttelton

They go forward on the recommendation of the Committee, which was composed of all the unofficial members, on which Africans, Asians and Europeans were represented, and their findings were unanimous.

Mr. Dugdale

May I be permitted to add my tribute to all who were concerned in the negotiations and to say how much I hope that the example of Tanganyika will be followed by Northern Rhodesia?

Mr. Lyttelton

The precedent is entirely inapplicable, and I do not think we ought to carry the discussion further on that line.

Mr. Alport

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether anything in the decision which he has just announced will make it more difficult or in any way impossible to further the cause of closer union among the three East African territories and whether the closer union of those territories remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government?

Mr. Lyttelton

Prophets are without honour in their own country.

Mr. Fenner Brockway

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, while welcoming the increased representation of the African population, whether he can inform the House of the total membership of the Legislative Council now, and how many African representatives there will be?

Mr. Lyttelton

The representation now is 15 official members and 14 unofficial members, of whom seven are European, three Indian and four African. The new Council will be 21—seven European, seven Asian and seven African.