§ 2. Mr. Brockwayasked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what information he has received of the attitude of the African populations of Bechuanaland, Basutoland, and Swaziland regarding the defence facilities to be provided to the Union of South Africa under the recent Defence Agreement.
§ Mr. AlportI would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to him on 31st July and to the hon. and learned Member for Brigg (Mr. E. L. Mallalieu) on 24th July. The views expressed by the appropriate authorities in the three Territories were taken fully into account. I would, however, remind the hon. Member that responsibility for security in the High Commission Territories rests exclusively with the United Kingdom Government, which ensures that the interests of the inhabitants of the Territories are effectively safeguarded.
§ Mr. BrockwayIs the hon. Member aware that on those two occasions he gave us no information at all? Is he aware that since then I have been in communication with the native authorities both in Bechuanaland and in Basutoland and that in Bechuanaland the Chairman of the African Native Board has strongly opposed these defence arrangements and in Basutoland the Paramount Chief and others have expressed their opposition, too?
§ Mr. AlportI must draw the hon. Member's attention to the very full statement which I made about this in answer to one of his Questions on 31st July. He will see that in answer to a supplementary question I designated the various native authorities in the Protectorates who were consulted in this matter. We fully realise the sensitiveness of opinion in the Territories on this question, and the resident and district commissioners are instructed to correct any misunderstandings about this Agreement which might arise on political grounds. Let me emphasise to the hon. Member once again that the Agreement is exclusively and entirely concerned with defence.