§ 24. Mr. Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is now able to state what constitutional changes are proposed in Malta with a view to reestablishing a democratically-elected Parliament.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI have nothing yet to add to the answer which my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for 1463 the Colonies gave on 28th January to my hon. Friend the Member for Haltem-price (Mr. Wall).
§ Mr. BrockwayMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman to regard this problem from a new point of view, just as he has the problem of Central Africa? Is it not a scandal that in Malta there should have been no elected Legislature for over two years and that the Governor should just have been governing by decree? Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that the report in Malta that it is proposed to have a nominated second Chamber—which would be a retrogression to the past—is not true?
§ Mr. MacleodI have not heard of any proposal for a nominated second Chamber. I agree that this is an unsatisfactory situation, and I want to bring the Governor's rule to an end as soon as I can. I hope to be able to give close personal attention to this question of Malta over the next few months.