HC Deb 26 October 1955 vol 545 cc191-2
22. Mr. Albu

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what advice he gave to Colonial governors on the attendance of representatives from the Colonial Territories at the recent conference on regional planning and development.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The governors of those Colonial Territories from which civil servants were attending this conference were informed of the attitude of Her Majesty's Government towards the attendance of United Kingdom officials, and were invited to consider advising their officials in the same sense.

Mr. Albu

Do I understand from that reply that the advice given by the Government was that the sponsors of this conference were politically undesirable? In view of the fact that it has now been conclusively shown that the evidence on which the Government arrived at this decision was completely false, will the right hon. Gentleman now agree that members of the Commonwealth services are quite free to take any part in the centre that has now been set up for regional planning development, without any interference from the Government?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I have nothing to add to my answer and the statement made by the Home Secretary on 28th September.