§ 37. Mr. Anthony Greenwoodasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations made to him for increasing industrial production in British Guiana.
§ Mr. LytteltonI assume that the hon. Member refers to the recommendations in the Report which was recently published on Industrial Development in Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados and British Guiana (Colonial No. 294). I am awaiting the Governors' views on these recommendations.
§ Mr. GreenwoodWill the Minister undertake to expedite compliance with the recommendations of this Report? Would he not agree that the only effective way to fight Communism is to attack the poverty on which it breeds? Is he aware that many of the steps he has taken in this and other Colonies has helped nobody but the Kremlin?
§ Mr. LytteltonThat is a highly tendentious supplementary. One of the difficulties of these matters is that increased production is unfortunately so often followed by increased population.
§ Dr. StrossWould the Minister also bear in mind that everyone is now acquainted with some of the evils which attend monoculture and that the right thing would be to encourage as much in the way of smallholdings and mixed farming as possible so that these people can have their own food and not be compelled to pay fancy prices for it from outside?
§ Mr. LytteltonI entirely agree with what the hon. Member has said. In every way possible we must increase the production, agriculturally and industrially, of these places. Unfortunately, that is not always accompanied by the desirable rise in the standard of life because increased production, as I said, is often taken up by increased population. Everybody who knows anything about the West Indies knows that that is the central economic fact.
§ Mr. GreenwoodMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman either to explain or withdraw the most unfortunate reply he gave to my supplementary?
§ Mr. BraineCan my right hon. Friend tell the House whether this Government have made any special allocation for agricultural development, rice in particular, in recent months?
§ Mr. LytteltonThat is another question. Of course, we have made very large allocations.
§ Mr. GreenwoodIn view of the right hon. Gentleman's lamentable failure to explain his unfortunate remark, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter at the earliest stage on the Adjournment.