§ 1. Mr. Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the appropriate resolutions transferring the administrative functions of the East African forces to the East African High Commission will be submitted to the Legislatures of the three territories concerned.
§ The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Alan Lennox-Boyd)It is not now the intention that the East Africa High Commission should be responsible for the administration of the East African forces.
§ Mr. BrockwayIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that that statement will be welcomed by African representatives in those three Parliaments who have the fear that the Governments are not democratically representative of the population and also the fear of powers passing into the hands of the Commission, which may be regarded as a precedent for Federation in the future? Does the right hon. Gentleman now give us an assurance that the plans previously announced have been dropped?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI am not quite sure that the hon. Gentleman has got this story absolutely correct. The Uganda Legislature did not like the idea of the civilian agency which was to run certain administrative aspects of the forces being under the High Commission. It did not oppose centralised administration, and I am now discussing with the Governments how the objective can otherwise be achieved.