HC Deb 08 May 1957 vol 569 cc972-3
52. Mr. Swingler

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why he has refused to issue a passport to Mr. Gogo Chu Nzeribe, of Nigeria, to attend the Commonwealth and Colonial Conference of Labour Parties.

Mr. Profumo

I am asking the Governor-General about this, as the issue of passports to Nigerians is a matter for the Federal Government, and I will write to the hon. Member when I have his reply.

Mr. Swingler

I thank the Under-Secretary for that reply, but will he not give very sympathetic attention to this case, and will he make it clear that it is not a part of the policy of the Colonial Secretary to exercise political discrimination in the issuing of passports in Colonial Territories? This gentleman has been chosen as a representative of a recognised trade union body in Nigeria. Would the hon. Gentleman, therefore, exert some sympathetic pressure on the Governor-General to allow this gentleman to come to the conference?

Mr. Profumo

I understand that the passport was not just withdrawn when this man was invited to come to the United Kingdom; it had been withdrawn for some time. But I think we had better await the Governor-General's reply.