HC Deb 09 March 1953 vol 512 cc817-9
8. Mr. E. Wakefield

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what progress has been made in completing arrangements for elections in the Sudan; and if he will make a statement.

12. Mr. Rhodes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what progress the Electoral Commission has made in the Sudan; and when he expects that the elections will be held.

Mr. Nutting

I understand that the Sudan Government are proceeding with arrangements for the elections in accordance with the self-government statute as amended by the Anglo-Egyptian Agreement of 12th February with the intention of holding them at the earliest possible moment. Under the terms of the Anglo-Egyptian Agreement, these arrangements are subject to the approval of the Electoral Commission. Nominations of the three Sudanese members of this Commission have not yet been made, as their appointment is dependent upon the approval of the Governor-General's Commission, which has not yet been set up, pending the appointment of its own Sudanese members. Nominations for the other members of the Electoral Commission have already been made by Her Majesty's Government, and by the Egyptian and Indian Governments, and all three members are already in Khartoum. We hope that nomination of the United States member will be made in the immediate future, and that the remaining nominations to both of these Commissions will be made as soon as possible.

Mr. Wakefield

Could my hon. Friend say more specifically exactly where the delay arose in appointing the remaining members of the Governor-General's Commission?

Mr. Nutting

The main delay is in the appointment of the Pakistan chairman, but we are in discussion with the Governments concerned and hope that the appointment will be made shortly.

Mr. Rhodes

Are the Government aware that this delay is most serious and that the elections cannot be held with any sense of fairness if another month goes by, owing to the fact that these nomadic tribes will be leaving the Nile? Is he aware that the elections will be a farce unless they take place within the next three weeks?

Mr. Nutting

I am perfectly well aware of the hon. Gentleman's point and I see no reason to quarrel with any of it. Because of the factors mentioned by the hon. Gentleman, Her Majesty's Government are doing all within their power to get this Commission set up and the elections held. As the hon. Gentleman will have noticed from my answer, there has been no delay on the part of Her Majesty's Government. The delay is on the part of other Governments, and we are doing our best to resolve it.

Mr. Mott-Radclyffe

What is the latest date on which my hon. Friend thinks the elections must take place if, for the reasons mentioned, they are not to be postponed until October?

Mr. Nutting

I understand that the latest date is the end of May, owing to the beginning of the rainy season early in the month of June.