§ 28. Mr. Teelingasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent it is his policy that the £25 million mentioned in his recent message to the Prime Minister of Malta will be forthcoming over a five-year period plus generous assistance for health and education, irrespective of whether Malta accepts integration and three Members in the British Parliament or not.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe financial arrangements negotiated with Mr. Mintoff were designed as part of the integration plan. As I told my hon. Friend on 15th February, 1956, and repeated in the debate on 26th March, 1956, the July, 1955 declaration will remain valid whatever the decision on integration may he. But the extent and form of financial aid cannot be entirely dissociated from the prevailing constitutional framework.
§ Mr. TeelingDoes not my right hon. Friend feel that, if it is too much involved with integration, it looks a little bit like saying "Unless you have integration, you cannot have this money"? Would that be entirely fair if an election comes on in Malta?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI think it would be unfair to say that there would be no help for Malta unless there was integration but, clearly, the settlement which was almost arrived at with the Prime Minister of Malta was a settlement covering a whole number of points, and it is impossible to separate any one from the others.