§ 22. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what territories for which he is responsible remain classified as Colonies and Protectorates, respectively; what is the population and area of each of these; and what gross amount of financial aid is being extended to them
§ Mr. FisherI will, with permission, circulate in the Official Report a list of the Colonies or Protectorates for which my right hon. Friend is responsible, together with details of their areas and populations.
The financial aid to these territories for the financial year 1962–63 was approximately £32,500.000, details of which were published on 4th December in Cmnd. 2147.
§ Mr. SorensenI thank the Undersecretary of State for that Answer. May I ask two questions? First, can he give some indication of the different kinds of Protectorate which are now within his responsibility? Secondly, in view of the very striking contrast between the area and population of the colonial empire 20 years ago and now, what steps has he taken to publicise this fact and the means by which this transformation is being more or less completed?
§ Mr. FisherOn the hon. Gentleman's first supplementary question, the Protectorates vary very much. These are Bechuanaland, the British Solomon Islands, Northern Rhodesia, Nyasaland, Swaziland, the Protected States in South Arabia and part of The Gambia. I think that in this enterprise both parties have made a very great contribution. I should like to see more publicity given to the fact that we have decolonised to this extent. I hope that the hon. Gentleman's Question will give rise to some publicity on that count.
§ Following is the list:
| AREAS AND POPULATIONS OF COLONIES AND PROTECTORATES | ||
| Colonies | Population (latest estimates) | Area (sq. miles) |
| Antigua | 54,304 | 171 |
| Bahamas | 111,109 | 4,404 |
| Barbados | 232,270 | 166 |
| Basutoland | 711,000 | 11,716 |
| Bermuda | 45,872 | 21 |
| British Antarctic Territory. | No permanent population | Lies between 20 and 80 of west longitude and and south of 60th parallel of latitude |
| British Guiana | 560,406 | 83,000 |
| British Honduras | 96,340 | 8,866 |
| British Virgin Is. | 7,700 | 59 |
| Cayman Is. | 7,622 | 100 |
| Dominica | 61,029 | 290 |
| Falkland Is.* | 2,172 | 4,618 |
| Fiji | 421,000 | 7,095 |
| Gibraltar | 24,151 | 2¼ |
| Gilbert and E lice Is. | 48,172 | 369 |
| Grenada | 90,080 | 133 |
| Hong Kong | 3,592,100 | 398 |
| Malta, State of | 328,141 | 122 |
| Mauritius | 699,900 | 808 |
| Montserrat | 12,831 | 33 |
| Pitcairn Is. | 127 | 2 |
| St. Christopher-Nevis-Angulla. | 56,591 | 138 |
| St. Helena* | 4,527 | 47 |
| St. Lucia | 86,108 | 238 |
| St. Vincent | 82,456 | 150 |
| Seychelles | 43,748 | 156 |
| Turks and Ca cos Is. | 5,947 | 166 |
| Protectorates | ||
| Bechuanaland | 332,000† | 222,000 |
| British Solomon Is. | 124,000 | 11,500 |
| Northern Rhodesia | 2,514,800 | 288,130 |
| Nyasaland | 2,900,000 | 45,747 |
| Swaziland | 280,3001‡ | 6,705 |
| Colony and Protectorate Aden and the Protectorate of South Arab a— | ||
| Aden | 220,000 | 75 |
| Protectorate | 1,000,000 | 111,000 |
| Gambia | 315,999 | 4,003 |
| *Excludes dependencies. | ||
| † Excludes nomad population. | ||
| ‡ Includes absentee population. | ||
| NOTE: This list does not include Southern Rhodesia which has been a self-governing Colony since 1923, or Kenya and Zanzibar which become independent this week. |