Constitutional Commission (Hansard, 27 May 1965)

§ 15. Mr. Biggs-Davison
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now state the membership of the South Arabia Commission.

§ 17. Mr. J. Amery
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a further statement on the composition of the Aden Constitutional Commission.

§ Mr. Greenwood
I have nothing at present to add to the statement I made to the House on 24th May.

§ Mr. Biggs-Davison
If the right hon. Gentleman intends to persist in sheltering behind a Commission, will he at least give us an assurance that he will not look outside the Commonwealth for members of it? Is this not a deplorable and weak and unprecedented proposal? Can it not have very dangerous results in other parts of the Commonwealth?

§ Mr. Greenwood
No, Sir. I do not share the hon. Gentleman's xenophobia. I think that the proposal we have made will have the beneficial effect of showing our readiness to seek the co-operation of the United Nations in matters of this kind.

§ Mr. Amery
Will the right hon. Gentleman reconsider the question of inviting persons from outside the Commonwealth to serve? It is really impossible to separate the eventual political settlement of South Arabia from the future of the base at Aden, and it is quite wrong, where something of such importance to the Commonwealth is concerned, to invite persons from outside to recommend what the settlement should be.

§ Mr. Greenwood
No, Sir. I made it clear that members of the Commission will be appointed by me. They will report to me and it will be for Her Majesty's Government to take the necessary decisions in the light of the advice we receive.

§ Mr. A. Henderson
Would my right hon. Friend make it clear that the purpose of the Commission is to make constitutional recommendations and that this is not inconsistent with future negotiations with those who speak for the people in the Federation's territories?

§ Mr. Greenwood
I am much obliged to my right hon. and learned Friend.

§ Mr. Amery
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that he has in his Department all the necessary information about the situation in Aden and that if there is any he has not got he can get it easily by discussion with the Aden Government and the Federal Government? What is the need to import people who do not understand the problem and have no experience of it into this affair?

§ Mr. Greenwood
All that information and advice was available to me at the beginning of March when, unfortunately, it was not possible to get the people of South Arabia and their representatives to sit together at the conference table. I believe that the work of the Commission will make it possible to build bridges between the differing elements in the territory, and I believe this to be one of the most valuable rôles that the Commission will fulfil.