§ 40. Mr. Stonehouseasked the Prime Minister if, in view of his discussions with the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia during his recent official visit to that Colony and of the importance of 1469 the request being made by the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia for the protective clauses affecting Africans to be removed from that constitution, he will arrange to continue his discussions on this issue with Sir Edgar Whitehead during his forthcoming visit to the United Kingdom, and advise him that Her Majesty's Government will not agree to the request except with the full agreement and approval of the Africans concerned.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)The purpose of Sir Edgar Whitehead's forthcoming visit is to continue the discussions with my noble Friend the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations begun in November, 1959. As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 18th February, to which I have nothing to add.
§ Mr. StonehouseIs the Prime Minister aware that we warmly applaud the assurance which he has given to the Africans in Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland that the protection which they enjoy from the United Kingdom will not be withdrawn except with their agreement? Is he further aware that the Africans in Southern Rhodesia are equally concerned that the protection which they enjoy from the United Kingdom should not be withdrawn? Will he give an asurance that there will be no back-room agreement with Sir Edgar Whitehead behind the backs of the Africans, who value this protection?
§ The Prime MinisterAll these matters will be taken into careful consideration. These circumstances are not exactly the same, although I can see that they are to some extent similar.
§ Mr. CallaghanHas the Prime Minister refreshed his memory with the terms of the Letters Patent under which Africans are subject to our protection in respect of
any conditions, disabilities or restrictions to which persons of European descent are not also subjected or made liable"?In view of the fact that in the last 36 years of the history of this Colony no African has been elected to the Southern Rhodesian Parliament and that the franchise is denied to them, what steps will the Prime Minister take in order to ensure that African opinion agrees with 1470 the views which Sir Edgar Whitehead proposes to put?
§ The Prime MinisterAll these are very large matters which, as the hon. Member knows, are under review and discussion during the whole of this coming year. I think it would be wiser for me not to go into detail on them today.
§ Mr. CallaghanWhile agreeing with the Prime Minister that this is a very large matter, surely this is all the more reason why the House of Commons should know what the Government's attitude is. Will he invite Sir Edgar Whitehead to bring with him some indication of the views of those over whom this House has thrown the mantel of its protection since 1923, so that the House may be apprised of their approach to this problem?
§ The Prime MinisterAll these matters will be borne in mind. These arc preliminary discussions, and I think that it would be wiser to let this constructive year in African history develop. The Government are responsible to the House and they will not shrink from their responsibilities in these matters.
§ Mr. GaitskellIf this constructive year in Africa is to develop fruitfully, would it not be as well to give the Africans in Southern Rhodesia the reassurance which they require in this matter?
§ The Prime MinisterI will refer to what I said on 18th February, when I said that
in the event of any change being made in the Constitution of Southern Rhodesia, the interest of Africans would of course be given full weight."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 18th February, 1960; Vol. 617, c. 1417.]