§ 23. Mr. Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why permission has been given to the United States Navy to survey the territorial waters of the Bahamas with a view to establishing an undersea rocket-testing centre; and if the Government and Legislature of the Bahamas were consulted.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI see no reason why permission for a survey, carrying no commitment to allow the establishment of an operational facility, should have been withheld. The Governor of the Bahamas was consulted before permission was given. There will, of course, be further consultation with the Bahamas should any more positive proposals be put forward as a result of the survey.
§ Mr. BrockwayDoes the Colonial Secretary seriously put forward the view that, with these great issues involved, a survey should be carried out without any discussion with the Government of the Bahamas or with its Legislature? Would he not follow the much better precedent he pursued in the case of the West Indies of having negotiations between America and the representatives of those Governments?
§ Mr. MacleodI am sure that the hon. Gentleman knows that the two cases are not parallel in the least. The answer to the first part of his supplementary question is, "Yes, I do think it appropriate in this case." Naturally, if a firm application were put forward later for a plan, for which I should require considerable details, then, of course, the Executive Council and the Government would be closely consulted.