HC Deb 05 March 1952 vol 497 cc424-5
43. Mr. Thomas Reid

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is now able to make a statement about further constitutional changes in the Gold Coast.

Mr. Lyttelton

Yes, Sir. In the light of the working of the present constitution and on the advice of the Governor, Her Majesty's Government have decided that the Leader of Government Business in the Legislative Assembly should disappear from the constitution and that the office of Prime Minister should be formally recognised. The Governor will consult the Prime Minister before submitting to the Assembly the names of persons whom he proposes for appointment as Representative Members of the Executive Council, or Cabinet, and before allocating to them portfolios.

The Prime Minister will rank in precedence in Cabinet immediately after the Governor, or Officer Administering the Government as the case may be, and before any of the three ex officio Ministers, whose position in other respects will remain unchanged. The necessary amendments to the constitutional instruments to give effect to these and other consequential changes will be made very shortly.

Mr. Reid

Does not this prove that there is no permanent half-way house between bureaucracy and democracy?

Mr. Lyttelton

I think the question is too wide to be dealt with at Question time.