§ 27. Mr. M. Footasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies who will represent Her Majesty's Government at the Malawi Independence celebrations.
§ 28. Mr. W. Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies what criteria were used in selecting the members of the United Kingdom Government delegation to the Malawi independence celebrations.
§ Mr. SandysThe Government are represented at such celebrations by a member of the Cabinet. As already announced, the British delegation to the Malawi Independence Celebrations will be led by my noble Friend, the Lord Chancellor.
§ Mr. FootIs this the Government's idea of a square peg in a square hole? Is it intended that the Lord Chancellor will take with him a copy of the Devlin Report bound in vellum, or would it not be more gracious if the Government decided to send Lord Devlin himself to the celebrations instead of one who has been so bitterly opposed to the Nyasaland freedom movement?
§ Mr. SandysDr. Banda sent me a message to say that my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor would be very welcome.
§ Mr. HamiltonCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether there will be a tropical kit of a white sheet issued to the Lord Chancellor? Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that this is a calculated insult to Nyasaland in view of the really shocking speeches which the noble Lord made when he was discussing the Devlin Committee's Report in this House in 1959?
§ Mr. SandysAll I can say is that if Commonwealth leaders who have said rough things about one another were not able to meet, we should have a very depleted table at Marlborough House next month.