HC Deb 29 February 1956 vol 549 cc1182-4
40. Mr. Russell

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the conclusions of the Conference on West Indian Federation.

44. Sir R. Robinson

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on the results of the recent Conference on West Indies Federation.

Mr. Hare

The hon. Gentlemen will, I know, be delighted to have heard that the Conference reached agreement on the main outstanding issues concerning British Caribbean Federation. Its Report has been laid on the Table of the House. copies are available in the Vote Office and in the Library of the House, and it will be printed and published as soon as possible as a Command Paper.

In the meantime, I am arranging for a statement on the Conference to be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Russell

Would my right hon. Friend agree that this agreement is an excellent example of what can be achieved when there is a spirit of goodwill and compromise on all sides? Would he convey to his right hon. Friend the congratulations of this side of the House for the part he has played in bringing it about?

Mr. J. Griffiths

May I associate my right hon. Friends, my hon. Friends and myself with those congratulations on the happy conclusion of this Conference? I am sure that both sides of the House would like me to mention how much we appreciate the fact that the first step towards this momentous decision was taken by my right hon. Friend the Member for Wakefield (Mr. Creech Jones) who took the first steps in convening the Conference in 1946 to formulate plans for Caribbean federation.

Mr. Hare

In answer to both my hon. Friend and the right hon. Gentleman, may I say that I am sure it will give great pleasure to my right hon. Friend to hear those kind words? I also should like to pay tribute to the West Indian representatives in that they were able to sink their differences in their determination to reach agreement.

Sir R. Robinson

Can my right hon. Friend say whether there will still be ample opportunity for British Guiana and British Honduras to join the Federation, and has any time limit been placed on this matter?

Mr. Hare

No time limit has been placed on that and, therefore, the opportunity still exists.

The statement is as follows:

The delegates from the British Caribbean who were fully authorised to speak for their territories, agreed unanimously that their respective countries should he bound together in federation and solemnly declared their earnest wish that leave should be sought to introduce a Bill into the United Kingdom Parliament accordingly. They agreed that Federal Elections should take place in the first quarter of 1958.

The Conference reached decisions on a small number of constitutional variations in the 1953 Federal Plan, including some changes in the Federal Legislative List, an alteration in the composition of the Federal Executive, and a simplification of the method of revising the Constitution, especially in relation to the possible later admission to the Federation of British Guiana and British Honduras. The Conference agreed on the method to be adopted initially for securing Federal revenue. This represents a compromise between the recommendations of the Fiscal Commissioner and the method envisaged in the 1953 Federal Plan. It also agreed to set up a Commission to report to the Federal Government on a customs union which was considered to be highly desirable in principle. It agreed on the setting up of a Federal Supreme Court but deferred the question of the site of the Federal capital until this had been reported on by an impartial fact-finding commission.

Much constitutional and administrative work still remains to be done. To undertake this work it was agreed that the Conference should continue as a standing body in the West Indies, under the name of the Standing Federation Committee and under the Chairmanship of the Comptroller for Development and Welfare in the West Indies. British Caribbean Governments will be represented on this Committee in the same proportions as for the meetings held in London, and British Guiana and British Honduras will continue to be represented by observers. It is envisaged that, when the Governor-General has been appointed, the Committee will operate as an advisory body to him until such time as the first Federal Elections have taken place. Arrangements for these elections, together with a decision on the site of the capital as a result of the recommendations of the fact-finding commission will be among the important tasks facing the Committee.

Her Majesty's Government have promised assistance to the Federation in a number of ways, including:

  1. (i) Subject to the approval of Parliament, an increase in Her Majesty's Government's contribution to the cost of the Federal capital from £500,000 to such sums as may be required up to a maximum of £1m.;
  2. (ii) facilitation of access by the Federal Government to the London market for the raising of loans when the need arises;
  3. (iii) the provision of funds to the Federal Government to enable that Government to continue for the present assistance in the form of grants-in-aid of administration to a number of the smaller territories joining the Federation;
  4. (iv) a continuation of assistance under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts.

Now that these years of slow but persistent progress towards federation have resulted in this measure of agreement between West Indian Governments, it is the intention of my right hon. Friend to seek leave to introduce into Parliament an enabling Bill. This will pave the way for an Order in Council embodying the constitution. I hope that Parliament may be willing to pass the Bill through all stages in both Houses before the Summer Recess.

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