HC Deb 03 May 1960 vol 622 cc881-2
42. Mr. W. Hamilton

asked the Prime Minister what requests he has received from Commonwealth Prime Ministers that the South African situation should be formally discussed at the forthcoming Conference.

Mr. Amory

I have been asked to reply.

The proceedings of the Prime Ministers' Conference are confidential, and so are the communications which are received from Commonwealth Prime Ministers about the matters to be discussed at it. The manner in which the South African situation might be discussed remains one for the decision of the Conference as a whole.

Mr. Hamilton

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how the Press get to know so much about what is going on? Is he aware that the Prime Ministers of Malaya and Ghana, and even the Prime Minister of Nigeria—although he is not here—have expressed themselves extremely forcibly on this issue? Is he aware that we hope that when the communiqué is issued—in whatever form this matter is discussed in the Conference—it will contain a forthright condemnation of the policies now being pursued by the South African Government?

Mr. Amory

I have no idea how the Press gets any of its information. As for the second part of the supplementary question, I am sure that it implies that we shall be right to await the communiqué.

Mr. Callaghan

Did the right hon. Gentleman hear the one o'clock news today? Did he hear the B.B.C. say that the Conference will discuss this in informal exchanges and not in formal session? If he is not aware of that, can he say whether, while the Conference is considering the problem of apartheid in South Africa, these formal exchanges will also include reference to the problem of the future administration of South-West Africa, in respect of which South Africa has for years ignored the continuing demands of the United Nations that she shall account for her trusteeship?

Mr. Amory

The hon. Member's version of what the B.B.C. put out is not irreconcilable with what I have said.

Mr. Callaghan

May I have an answer to the second and most important part of my supplementary question?

Mr. Amory

That is a different question.