§ 32. Mr. Beresford Craddockasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will take steps to expedite the publication of the annual reports of Colonial Territories.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydYes, Sir. I shall continue to take every opportunity to urge on Colonial Governments the importance of the earliest possible publication of these reports.
§ Mr. CraddockWhile I thank my right hon. Friend for that assurance, is it not a fact that some territories have already reported for last year, while there are still some which have not issued their reports for 1953? Can he say whether there is any particular reason why that disparity should exist?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThere is a desperate shortage of staff. While it is of great importance to get the reports prepared, in some Colonies other work is given higher priority. However, I am conscious of the need to press on with the work.
§ Mr. J. JohnsonIs it not a fact that some Colonies, like Uganda, have first-class public relations officers, but others may not have quite such good ones?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydSome Colonies, like Uganda, have first-class natural resources.