HC Deb 30 April 1968 vol 763 cc1001-2

3.32 p.m.

Mr. F. Blackburn (Stalybridge and Hyde)

This House gave leave of absence to four of its Members to present on its behalf a Parliamentary Library and silver inkstand to the National Assembly of Botswana. The delegation consisted of the hon. Member for Crosby (Mr. Graham Page) the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. Michael Hamilton), my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Lomas) and myself. We were accompanied by Mr. Michael Lawrence, Clerk of the Overseas Office.

It is my pleasant duty to report that our mission was carried out in the Chamber of the National Assembly in Gaberones. I know that my colleagues would wish me to express our appreciation of the very cordial reception which we received, the excellent hospitality which we enjoyed and the very interesting programme of visits arranged for us. We are grateful to the House for entrusting us with such a pleasant task.

The Speaker of the National Assembly desired us to thank you, Mr. Speaker. for your personal letter of good will which we carried to him on your behalf. The Leader of the House, Dr. Quett Masire, expressed on behalf of the National Assembly their warm gratitude for the gifts, and the following Resolution was then unanimously passed: We, the National Assembly of Botswana here assembled, express our sincere thanks to the Honourable Commons of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the gift presented to us by their delegation to mark the attainment of Independence by Botswana. I hope, Mr. Speaker, that, in accordance with precedent, you will order the Resolution to be entered in the Journal of the House.

Hon. Members

Hear, hear.

Mr. Speaker

If that is the wish of the House—and, from what I hear, it is —that Resolution will be entered in the records of the House. The House would wish me to congratulate the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Mr. Blackburn) and his colleagues for carrying out the pleasant task entrusted to them. I would add my own thanks for the kind personal message which they brought me back from Botswana, by hand, from the Speaker of the National Assembly.