§ 1. Mr. Healeyasked the First Secretary of State if he will make a statement on his recent official talks with the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia.
§ The First Secretary of State (Mr. R. A. Butler)When Sir Edgar Whitehead was in London passing to and from New York, I took the opportunity of having talks with him on a number of matters including his speeches in New York. These conversations were confidential.
§ Mr. HealeyIn view of the fact that Sir Edgar Whitehead has now recognised Her Majesty's Government as responsible for the affairs of Southern Rhodesia by appearing as a member of Her Majesty's Government's delegation in 1374 New York when these affairs were discussed at the United Nations, can the First Secretary say whether he pressed Sir Edgar Whitehead and made proposals for greater African representation in the Legislative Council in Southern Rhodesia and for the legalisation of Z.A.P.U. as the only representative national movement of the African people in that territory?
§ Mr. ButlerI cannot accept the premise of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question as being correct. The constitutional position as betweeen the United Kingdom and Southern Rhodesia, especially under the new Constitution, remains unaltered. I am afraid that I cannot reveal the contents of my conversations.
§ Mr. HealeyCan the right hon. Gentleman explain how, if indeed Her Majesty's Government have no responsibility for Southern Rhodesia, it was possible for Sir Edgar Whitehead to appear as a member of Her Majesty's Government's delegation in New York?
§ Mr. ButlerIt is true that Sir Edgar spoke from the United Kingdom seat, but I do not see any other way that he could have spoken, and the fact that he did speak did a great deal of good.
§ Mr. G. M. ThomsonDid Sir Edgar Whitehead tell the First Secretary, as he subsequently told the Press in Southern Rhodesia, that the British delegates at the United Nations "did not really know anything about the case"? Does the right hon. Gentleman repudiate this, and would he not agree that it was very disastrous for Britain's name that we replaced Sir Hugh Foot by Sir Edgar Whitehead as our principal spokesman?
§ Mr. ButlerThe latter part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question does not represent the case at all. In regard to the alleged representations made to me by Sir Edgar Whitehead, I cannot reveal what was said in our conversations, but I would not accept any such stricture's on the British team.