§ 37. Mr. Stonehouseasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will now lift the state of emergency in Nyasaland, and release all political detainees, including Dr. Hastings Banda.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI would refer the hon. Member to replies to the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Brockway) and the hon. and learned Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hector Hughes) on 17th November last.
§ Mr. StonehouseIs the Colonial Secretary aware that the form of words used on 17th November has become a little more than tarnished after this interval of eleven months? Why is this emergency continuing? Why is Dr. Banda being kept in prison? If Dr. Banda cannot be returned immediately to Nyasaland, will the Colonial Secretary consider inviting him to this country en route for Zomba?
§ Mr. MacleodI tried to answer some of these questions in what I said at Leeds on the accelerated release of detainees, which is now in the process of being carried out. I said then that I hoped there would be an early end to the emergency.