§ 52. Mrs. Castleasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what recent consultations have taken place between the territorial Governments of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland and the Federal Government concerning the exercise of their concurrent powers of deportation.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Julian Amery)I know of no such consultations.
§ Mrs. CastleIs not that an astonishing reply? Is not it a fact that the territorial Governments have concurrent powers with the Federal Government over deportation? If no consultations take place when deportations occur of the kind which we have seen recently, does not it mean that the concurrent powers of the territorial Governments are meaningless? Does not it mean that control of immigration into all three territories is in fact under the Federal Government and under a Federal immigration board on which no African sits, nor is there a single representative of the two Protectorate Governments? Is not it time that the territories were given greater powers in order to be able to control this very important matter?
§ Mr. AmeryI understand that the Federal authorities were proceeding not under the Deportation Act but under the Immigration Act. Immigration is the exclusive responsibility of the Federal Government.