§ 13. Mrs. Castleasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will publish all the communications which 1733 have passed between the British Government and the Government of the Central African Federation with regard to the constitutional proposals for Northern Rhodesia.
§ Mr. SandysI would refer the hon. Lady to the reply which the Prime Minister gave on 27th February to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Arundel and Shoreham (Captain Kerby).
§ Mrs. CastleIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that Sir Roy Welensky has complained that during the course of the conference no fewer than five different plans were produced and the final one contained a last-minute change which he and others had not sufficient time to consider? Can he confirm or deny the story in the Daily Telegraph last week that, in the middle of January, a communication was sent from the British Government to the Federal Government—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The last part of the hon. Lady's supplementary is out of order.
§ Mrs. CastleIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the widely held belief that, in the middle of January, a communication was sent from the British Government to the Federal Government which Sir Roy described as so outrageous that he decided, on the basis of it, to boycott the conference? Does the Secretary of State agree with the Daily Telegraph that it is important to clear the air on this matter?
§ Mr. SandysIt is not my business to agree or disagree with the Daily Telegraph. There are many beliefs which are widely held.
§ Mrs. CastleDoes not the Secretary of State's reply show that in this very delicate matter, when there is confusion about what actually happened and when we want to be fair to all the parties concerned, we should know the facts so that we may judge on what basis Sir Roy is taking the stand he is?
§ Mr. SandysI know that the hon. Lady always looks very objectively at all questions. All I am trying to indicate is that confidential communications should remain confidential.