§ Q2. Mr. Stonehouseasked the Prime Minister what reply he has sent to the letter of the Salisbury Christian Action Group calling for a constitutional conference on the future of Southern Rhodesia at which all political groups of the Colony could be represented and over which a British Minister should preside.
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friend the Commonwealth and Colonial Secretary will reply to the letter from the Salisbury Christian Action Group, but as I said in the House on 30th April, 1244 such a conference could not be held without the consent and co-operation of the parties concerned.
§ Mr. StonehouseDoes the Prime Minister agree that this country retains the ultimate responsibility for constitutional change in this territory and that it is important to get such changes by agreement? Is he aware that this group, which is supported by black and white Rhodesians, is putting forward a point of view which has very wide support, including that of a former Prime Minister, Mr. Todd? Will the right hon. Gentleman give it his own consideration?
§ The Prime MinisterWe are considering any way in which we can help to solve the Southern Rhodesia problem. If a constitutional conference is to be convened, it cannot be done without the consent of the main parties in Southern Rhodesia.
§ Mr. BottomleyHave approaches been made to the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia about the holding of a constitutional conference? Secondly, bearing in mind the comments of the United Nations mission, which has just left this country, will the Prime Minister consider sending out a Minister to stress to the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia the importance of seeing that the Africans have their rights?
§ The Prime MinisterFrom inquiries I have made, I do not think that agreement could be reached on a conference at this time, but I do not want to exclude anything which might lead to a solution of the problem.
§ Mr. K. LewisAs there seems to be such interest opposite in the Commonwealth and in a Minister going out to Southern Rhodesia, might it not have been better if the Leader of the Opposition had gone to a Commonwealth country instead of electioneering on a visit to Russia?
§ Q3. Mr. Stonehouseasked the Prime Minister what representations he has received from Commonwealth Prime Ministers regarding Britain's responsibilities towards Southern Rhodesia.
§ The Prime MinisterNone, Sir. There have been exchanges on a Government to Government basis and these have 1245 been dealt with in the normal way by my right hon. Friend the Commonwealth Secretary.
§ Mr. StonehouseIs it not the case that there has been an appeal to the Prime Minister and his colleagues to intervene to secure the release of Mr. Nkomo? Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that there could not possibly be any agreement on a development in the political position in Rhodesia or a lasting peace unless Mr. Nkomo is released? Would the right hon. Gentleman use his influence to help to secure his release?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not think that it would help anybody to go into this kind of question in any detail now. There have been representations that Mr. Nkomo should be released and we want to see complete racial tolerance in Southern Rhodesia, but I would rather not carry these supplementaries any further.
§ Mr. WoodburnIs the Prime Minister aware that for a great many years, and certainly up to the time of Sir Roy Welensky, the leaders of the white Government in Southern Rhodesia had never even spoken to or seen the leaders of the African people? Would it not make some contribution if the people governing the country met the people that they wanted to govern?
§ The Prime MinisterWe want to see the maximum contact between the Europeans and Africans in Southern Rhodesia. It would have been helpful also if the Africans had worked the Constitution.