HC Deb 16 March 1967 vol 743 cc714-5
The Minister of Overseas Development (Mr. Arthur Bottomley)

With permission, I will now answer Question No. 18.

The purpose of my visit was to hand over, on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, the Constitutional Instruments to the five islands—St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, Antigua, Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada—to which Parliament granted Associated Statehood at the end of February and the beginning of this month.

I took the opportunity of paying a visit to three other countries, Barbados, Guyana and Colombia, which are receiving assistance under my Ministry's aid programme.

I would like to tell the House how impressed I was by the dignity with which the flag-raising and ceremonies in the Assemblies were carried out. I was privileged to convey to these Assemblies the Instruments of Associated Statehood and the good wishes of Britain. In conveying those good wishes I feel confident that I spoke for the whole of this House.

I also carried with me a message from Her Majesty which the Governor of each new State conveyed to the Assemblies and to the peoples.

It gave me great pleasure also to present to each of the five new States a gift from Her Majesty's Government of a suitably inscribed silver dish.

The Premiers of every one of the five States asked me to convey to Her Majesty their thanks for her gracious message and to Her Majesty's Government for the gift.

During the very short time I spent in these islands I was able to have useful talks on matters concerning my Ministry, including the work of my Development Division in the Caribbean.

Mr. Wood

May I thank the right hon. Gentleman for making that long statement, and ask him two questions? First, has he reached any conclusions about the need for continued aid to these islands after the reception of Associated Statehood? Secondly, can he say anything about his reception in the Island of Anguilla, about which we have seen disturbing reports? We should be very grateful if he can confirm or deny them.

Mr. Bottomley

Yes, Sir. I was able to give an assurance that aid for the Associated States will continue at the current rate. As the right hon. Gentleman will know, when the House debated the matter of independence it was agreed that that rate should continue for the two succeeding years.

I am glad to assure the right hon. Gentleman that the reports which I read about the troubles in Anguilla were exaggerated. There certainly was a small demonstration, but, by way of a change, it was for Her Majesty's Government to continue to control Anguilla. However, it is quite clear that Anguilla is a part of St. Kitts and Nevis, and when I met the Deputy Premier, it was clear that the bulk of the people expressed that wish.

Mr. Chapman

Can my right hon. Friend say what progress he was able to make when he was in the West Indies on the completion of a real plan—a Colombo-type plan, as the Prime Minister has called it—under which Canada, the United States and Britain would join in making available the funds on which economic development can take place?

Mr. Bottomley

As my hon. Friend is aware, a tripartite survey is being carried out. I was able to assure the islands concerned that, if a Regional Development Organisation is established, Her Majesty's Government will make a contribution to the fund to keep that organisation in being.