§ 45. Mr. Marquandasked the Prime Minister whether he has now considered the statement of policy recently made by the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia as to the conditions about which he would require to be satisfied before taking part in the Constitutional Review of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland: and whether he will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterI would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to his supplemnetary question on 18th February.
§ Mr. MarquandHas not Sir Edgar Whitehead's statement made it absolutely clear that the possibility of the secession of Southern Rhodesia from the Federation will be one of the issues of the constitutional review? Is it not, therefore, equally clear that the Monckton Commission, in preparing for the constitutional review, must consider the possibility of secession in all its aspects?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that we are rather splitting hairs on this phrase. What I have ascertained, and what I told the right hon. Gentleman, is that Sir Edgar Whitehead did not, as it was alleged, say that there were certain conditions which were primary conditions which must be accepted before he would enter into discussions. He set out, as people often do before they start negotiations, what he hoped to get out of those negotiations.
§ Mr. StonehouseWhat reply has the Prime Minister given to the request by 191 Sir Edgar Whitehead that the protective clauses in the Southern Rhodesian constitution should be withdrawn?
§ The Prime MinisterThat is another question, of which I should like notice. It does not arise now.