HC Deb 13 June 1967 vol 748 cc300-1
Q3. Mr. Evelyn King

asked the Prime Minister if he will define the duties in Aden of the Minister without Portfolio.

The Prime Minister

As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary told the House on 10th April, my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister without Portfolio went to Aden to provide political guidance on the spot and also to advise Her Majesty's Government on the problems of South Arabia as seen from Aden. He has paid two extended visits to South Arabia, and since his return on 30th May he has been engaged in discussions in London about the future of South Arabia.

Mr. King

How precise is the division of duties? Is not any prolonged presence alongside the High Commissioner likely to create difficulties? Is not this a blurring of responsibilities?

The Prime Minister

I agree a great deal with the principle laid down by the hon. Gentleman, but this is not a prolonged visit. My noble Friend was there during the period when one High Commissioner was replaced by another. I agree in principle that even in the special conditions of Aden the idea of a Minister resident in that area, which has been right in past circumstances, would not be appropriate.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

Has the Minister without Portfolio any duties in respect of Kamaran, Perim and the Kuria Muria Islands, which will presumably require special treatment?

The Prime Minister

My right hon. Friend has been advising on all the problems of the area from his vantage point in Aden. I think that the House is due to have a debate on all the places named by the hon. Gentleman as part of the legislation which will be before the House, I think, next week.

Mr. Heath

The Prime Minister has mentioned a debate. Is he aware that the House will be placed in a very difficult position if we can only debate the question of the resident Minister without Portfolio and all the other matters arising out of Aden on Second Reading of a Bill, without a prior statement? We have asked for this on the last two occasions when Business has been presented. I do not wish to press the right hon. Gentleman for an answer today, but I would be grateful if he would consider the matter afresh with the Leader of the House so that we would have the opportunity of a statement on Government policy, and then either the debate we have been promised or the debate on the Second Reading of the Bill. But we must have time to consider the policy first.

The Prime Minister

So that the House should have a wider freedom than might be appropriate on a discussion of the Bill, perhaps there could be discussion through the usual channels as to whether we should have a debate on the broad issue and then, perhaps, come to the passage of the Bill at a later stage of the day. The question of a statement is entirely different. I will draw it to the attention of my right hon. Friend, though if we have a wider debate I see no reason why my right hon. Friend should not use the occasion of that debate to make a full statement on Government policy, as is usual.