§ 7. Mr. Peytonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will publish the conclusions and recommendations of the recent economic survey of the British Virgin Islands.
§ Mr. MaudlingI hope it will be published shortly by the Government of the British Virgin Islands.
§ Mr. PeytonWhile I welcome the Government's initiative in having the survey made, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether he would agree that the time for action has now come and that it would be quite intolerable to allow these islands to continue as a kind of derelict annexe and that they should be developed partly because of the invidious contrast which exists between them and the high state of development reached in the neighbouring American Virgin Islands?
§ Mr. MaudlingWe are very grateful to Dr. O'Loughlin for making the survey and preparing the report. She is coming to this country this month to discuss it with us. We are grateful for the opportunity, and after that I hope to be able to say something about it.
§ Sir J. Vaughan-MorganWould my right hon. Friend consider whether the survey to be published by the British Virgin Islands should also be published here and so be available to hon. Members?
§ Mr. MaudlingI will certainly look at that.
§ Mr. C. RoyleWould the right hon. Gentleman bring pressure to bear on the Virgin Islands to join the Little Eight?
§ Mr. MaudlingI doubt whether it is my job to put pressure on them.